Consequences
by Red Hardy and CherylannRivers
Summary: In the sequel to "Choices of the Heart", Frank faces the biggest personal challenges of his life, Callie has a major decision to make that could change her life, and Joe comes to a heartfelt realization…all while Nash continues his reign of terror over the Hardys and those they love.
1. Chapter 1

**Note:** _Thank you to all who have followed, read, and, especially, left reviews on "Choices of the Heart." This story is the sequel and explores the issue and questions raised in that story. "Consequences" is completed and is 33 chapters long. Updates will occur approximately every 4 days. Thanks again for the support, and we would love to see what you have to say along the way! Thanks!_

Consequences

Chapter 1

Twenty-two year old Frank Hardy opened the door of his apartment and walked into the open living room, placing his school books on the table. For once, he didn't really have any papers due, despite the fact that he was only one semester away from graduation. It was a nice break for a change. Then again, Frank hadn't been getting too many breaks recently, and he was almost unsure of what to do with himself.

Running his hand through his dark brown hair, he tried to think of something to do. Actually, he tried to force himself to relax for once, something he hadn't done in several months—since Cape May. Callie, his fiancée, was still at her own class, which ran a little later than his, and was on the other side of campus. Absently, he walked to the refrigerator to see what he could throw on for dinner. Opening the door, he smiled softly. Callie had it stocked with all his favorite foods and she had evidently prepared his dinner for the evening. Picking up the plate, he read the note on the plastic wrap: " _Frank: Drop in microwave for 5 minutes. Enjoy! See you tonight. Love, Cal."_

As he read the note, he felt first warm, then cold, and then the worst feeling of all came; that constant numbness which had become his companion since the summer. He wanted desperately to be able to _feel_ something again—even anger, rage, sadness—they would all be better than this emptiness.

Placing his dinner back in the fridge, he walked over to the end table where his answering machine sat. He saw the number "4" flashing. _That's weird,_ he thought silently. _Callie normally checks it before she goes to class—she couldn't have been gone for more than an hour or two._ Still, he pressed the button, already knowing what would be on it. The question wasn't who, but how many times he called.

Frank pressed the button.

Message 1: " _Frank? Hey Frank? It's me—your brother. You have one, remember? I guess we keep playing phone tag, but give me a call when you get in. Just wanted to say hi. Later._

Frank sighed. He thought he'd avoided that call with a strategic phone call to Joe's dorm room when he knew Joe had class. Joe.

Message 2, fifteen minutes later: " _Frank? Sorry to call again- but you know me- I'm a pain, right? Anyway, just wanted to wish you a happy day before your birthday! You're getting to be an old man, bro! Call me later_.

His birthday. He had forgotten about it, truthfully. Leave it to Joe to leave him a message the day before his actual birthday. Smiling sadly, Frank knew it was because, as a tradition, Joe always had called or woken him up at midnight when they were kids so he could be the first one to wish his year older brother a great day. He'd always be so silly, saying how Frank was now TWO years older than he was, even though Joe's own birthday was just two months away.

Message 3: _"Cal? It's Vanessa. What's up, girl? I was just calling to see how you were. Call me, okay? Love ya. Hi, Frank."_

Frank looked at the machine. Vanessa Bender, Joe's girlfriend and Callie's best friend, seemed more serious than usual on the machine. Lately, all of her messages had been that way. Strangely, he realized that he barely spoke to her lately. _Then again_ , he added to himself, _Who have I spoken with?_

Message 4: " _Um, Frank? It's Joe. I PROMISE this will be the last time I call you—well, unless you don't call me back! I just realized I had forgotten to say hi to Callie, and I didn't want to be rude. WHAT'S UP, SIS?! Call me!"_

At the last message, Frank swallowed, hard. Joe and Callie, Joe wanting to speak to Callie, Callie chatting on the phone with Joe… he tried to push the constant thoughts and lingering doubts to the back of his mind. He couldn't.

Frank sat down on the sofa and rubbed his eyes, wondering for the millionth time how and why everything had gone wrong. Just over three months ago, he had proposed to his long-time girlfriend, the love of his life. She had accepted. Never had he been happier or felt so much joy. And Joe had been there, laughing and joking and being the best brother and friend he had ever known. Vanessa had been there, too, sharing in the celebration, becoming ever more a part of Joe's life. Frank had teased his blonde, blue-eyed brother that Vanessa was slowly becoming his wife. Joe had laughed and brushed it off, but Frank knew he had been serious. Life hadn't looked any brighter.

And then… as quickly as all the happiness had come, it was torn away from him, violently, mercilessly. When Callie had inadvertently submitted an article and some photos that got picked up by a national newspaper, she had stumbled across a crime ring that involved drugs, pornography, and murder. Frank felt the color rise to his face just thinking about it. In the process, Joe, protecting Callie, had gotten horribly hurt after being dragged around by a truck. He had almost lost his life. To this day, he wasn't fully recovered, although he tried to pretend that he was. And Callie…the men, Nash and Jenkins, had toyed with her emotions, making her feel responsible. She had been roughed up, too, almost raped. The thought, as always, was enough to take Frank's breath away. And then… the choice, the horrendous, God-awful moment when he had been forced to choose whose life to spare, Joe's or Callie's, a choice no person should ever have to make. In order to save his brother's life, he had chosen Joe. Nothing had been the same since.

Blinking back tears, Frank knew that all of these horrors weren't the worst of it all. Not only was Nash still at large, but what he had made Joe do… Callie do… was unconscionable. Although neither one had confessed to anything, more and more evidence pointed to the fact that they had slept together…maybe, they were in love. He choked back a cry that almost escaped his lips as he thought of it. There had been a shared kiss, he knew that much. Joe and Callie were together, a lot, talking- who knew what else? He knew they had woken up together, not fully clothed. And then the video—the proof—the vile, awful evidence that his brother and Callie, for whatever reason, had ended up together.

And now…now Callie was pregnant, on top of everything else. He didn't even know if the child was his. When she had told him, he had been shocked, but he had asked her not to say anything to anyone else—at least until Christmas. He had been hoping that five months would give him clarity, time to think, to make sense of everything. But it hadn't. And Callie was handling the most precarious part of her pregnancy, the first trimester, on her own, with no one's support. _Not even mine_ , he thought, fighting the lump in his throat.

And so, he found himself more torn than ever. He couldn't be mean to his brother or to Callie. In spite of everything, he loved them both dearly. But he wasn't warm, either. In fact, for the first time in his life, he was running from a problem, acting distant, avoiding phone calls, never coming home on time, and not returning emails or texts. He knew he must have been driving Callie and Joe crazy. Part of him wanted to shout, to scream, to confront them, and to ask why. He knew in his heart he couldn't marry Callie with these doubts, nor could he go on maintaining this pretense of a relationship with his brother, who had for so long been his best friend.

There were times he could forget. Well, not forget, exactly. Ignore was more like it. And those few days, here and there, gave him his life back, allowed him to go on, to live. Those were the wonderful days when he would hang out with Joe and just laugh and joke and be so grateful that Joe was okay. Those days, he allowed Joe's warmth and radiance to shine through, to re-energize him. And, in those times, he could hold tightly to the woman he loved, whom he needed, and tell her and show her just how dear she was to him. He never knew what type of day it would be. He wanted to believe them. When he looked at Joe's smiling face, or Callie's soft, caring brown eyes, he could never see the faintest traces of disloyalty. All he saw was love. He needed to believe them—part of him could never doubt the two people whom he loved most.

But… he did. He doubted them. The evidence was getting overwhelming… the secrets, and the lies. He wanted to hate them for what they did to him, but he couldn't. He hated himself for doubting them. Yet, he couldn't escape it.

He heard the door open, and Callie Shaw entered. Seeing him, she smiled. Frank found himself smiling back. Although she looked a little tired, she was still so beautiful. She was petite, and in great shape, and only the best eye could detect the smallest bulge in her lower stomach indicating she was pregnant.

As Frank watched her struggle to place her textbooks down and to carry her backpack, he knew that this was going to be one of the better days. He was grateful. They were so few and far between.

Getting up, he took her books from her and helped her off with her coat, kissing the top of her head.

Callie glanced up at him, dubiously. Frank had been acting so bizarre lately. She hadn't wanted to focus on it, having more than enough stress in her life already. Some days he seemed to ignore her, or to push her away. Other days her was more than affectionate. Something was going on with him, and she knew eventually she'd figure out what it was. This was so unusual, though, because she had always been able to talk to Frank, openly and honestly. She wanted back the man she'd been with for so many years. She needed him, now more than ever. She was tired, and seemed one of the "lucky" women to suffer from morning sickness. That, on top of all the stress from last summer, her own guilt over Joe's injuries, an upcoming wedding, school, and paying bills, was not adding to her doctor's orders to stay well-rested and relaxed. To this day, she didn't understand why Frank didn't want to tell anyone about her pregnancy. Although unexpected, to say the least, she was pretty excited about it, and really wanted to share it with her mom. Well, she had shared it with one person—but Frank didn't need to know that.

Right now, though, she was glad that Frank seemed more normal. "Hi," she said to him with a smile. "How was your day?"

"It was okay," he answered, honestly.

"That's good," Callie replied. "I have this ridiculous paper to write on the Constitutionality of free speech." She looked up at him. "If you have any free time, feel free to write it for me!"

Frank smiled at her. "As intriguing as that sounds, I think I'll pass. But if you need help…no problem."

"Thanks," Callie said, uncertainly. She was very aware of Frank's presence near her, and she wanted to give into it. She was just afraid he'd pull away again, leaving her more empty than before. "Um, did you get dinner?"

"Yeah, thanks," Frank replied, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

Callie closed her eyes. His touch was so rare these days. She didn't want him to leave.

"That was sweet of you. I didn't eat it, though, yet."

"Oh," she replied, opening her eyes at last. "I can make you something else."

"Nah," Frank said gently.

"Did anyone call?" Callie continued.

"Oh. Yeah, Vanessa." Frank decided to leave off Joe. He couldn't think of THAT now. He looked into Callie's eyes, and realized how much he wanted to connect with her at that moment, to allow her to make him believe that everything was okay. Slowly and wordlessly, he guided her to the sofa. Once there, he lay back and pulled Callie gently into his arms, stroking her hair softly.

Callie felt overcome with emotion. God, how she missed this. She didn't know what had brought it on, but now, maybe, Frank would finally open up to her. She decided to let him talk, cuddling close to him, and resting her head on his chest to feel his heart beating.

"How're you feeling?" he asked quietly, holding her.

"Better, now." It was the truth.

"You've been a little sick, huh?" he added.

"Oh, I'll be alright," she whispered back, trying not to cry.

Looking down at her, Frank hugged her tighter. In that moment, he held back his own tears. He loved her so much. He decided to allow himself one night, maybe two, to believe her and Joe. He'd been wrong- they wouldn't betray him. _At least for tonight_.

He reached down and gently placed his hand on top of her stomach.

"How's Frankie junior?"

Callie laughed softly against him. " _Callie_ junior is just fine."

"It's a boy," Frank said lightly, teasing her.

"It's a girl- trust me," Callie teased back, elated. Callie placed her hand on top of his and he took it.

"I love you, Frank," she whispered, clinging to him.

But Frank didn't answer her back, as he hadn't since Cape May. And so, it continued. Yet again, her daily affirmation that she loved him went unanswered, and once again, she felt her heart break as she held back tears.

She looked up at him, her eyes pleading with his to scream, _"Why don't you love me anymore?"_

He gazed into her eyes, answering her silently with, " _Why did you betray me?"_

He looked away. So many choices had been made. How bad would their consequences be?


	2. Chapter 2

**NOTE** : _Thank you so much for those of you who were kind enough to leave a review. There is something going on with not being able to see reviews- some odd glitch- ugh! But we did see them from Paulina Ann, max2013, hbndbcbiw4ever, and Tin Dog, via email. We are appreciative for your feedback and comments! Frank still needs to work through his doubts and fears, but we promise- the whole story is about the consequences... not just this aspect of uncertainty. Enjoy!_

Consequences

Chapter 2

 _"Hey, little brother. Sorry I missed you. Just returning all your_ _ **calls**_ _from yesterday…and the day before. One will really suffice you know."_ Frank chuckled. _"Guess I'll talk to you later. Bye."_

Joe stared out the window of his dorm room sadly. He'd listened to Frank's message several times and each time he did, a little piece of his heart died. The laugh had been forced. It was almost as if Frank were trying to leave him some coded message.

 _'Stop calling me so much. Once a day is enough.'_ That was what Joe heard every time he listened to the message. Joe had always called multiple times before and it never seemed to bother Frank. Now, however, Frank was emphasizing the fact that Joe left him several messages throughout the day and that he would have preferred just one.

"Maybe if you'd call me back I wouldn't have to keep calling you." Joe said out loud to no one.

When Joe had been told by his doctor that it was all right for him to move back to the dorms where he would be alone, rather than continuing to live at home where there was always someone with him, he began to notice the pattern with Frank immediately. Even though Joe had given Frank a copy of his schedule, Frank always seemed to purposely call when Joe was in class. It was almost as if Frank were avoiding him.

 _'He is.'_ Joe thought, turning away from the window. _'If only I could remember. I know it has something to do with whatever happened in Cape May.'_

Joe shivered slightly at the thought of their disastrous vacation. Callie, Frank and Vanessa had filled in everything that had happened during the time he and Callie had been held captive and the first few days Joe had been hospitalized. Luckily, it was rarely discussed by anyone, so he hadn't yet had to admit that he still had no memory of it. And that, in fact, he thought he might still be having problems - after effects - to this day.

Joe noticed he would forget things sometimes - important things that he never would have forgotten before. Not a lot, but enough to concern him. However, the night he had left Vanessa stranded downtown until almost midnight, forgetting he had promised to pick her up, was a big wake up call for him. He never would have forgotten something so important before Cape May. He had been rattled for days at the thought of what could have happened to Vanessa simply because he forgot to pick her up as promised.

Yet Joe was afraid to share his concerns with anyone. If he did, he would have to admit he still couldn't remember what had happened last summer. Both Dr. Simonds, who had treated him in Cape May, and Dr. Milton, his own physician in Bayport, had assured him his memory would return within a month or so. The last time he brought it up, almost two months ago, Dr. Milton had seemed mildly concerned that Joe still hadn't remembered anything at all. Fearing he'd be subjected to endless tests, or even worse, a lengthy hospital stay, Joe had quickly backed off and never mentioned it again.

If anyone brought up what had happened in Cape May, Joe would vaguely repeat some of the things he had been told and then clam up. His family and friends simply assumed it was too painful for Joe to discuss in any detail and never pushed the issue.

 _'If they only knew…'_

Joe couldn't escape the emptiness that now plagued him on a daily basis. For reasons unknown to Joe, Frank had begun to shut him out. It had started so innocently that at first Joe thought he was imagining things. Frank would sometimes treat him coldly and although it hurt, Joe would try to make excuses for his brother. Frank and Callie were entering their senior year in college, they had a wedding to plan, decisions to make about careers, starting a family – life-altering decisions. Joe tried to chalk it up to stress, but deep inside he knew Frank was upset with him. Angry with him. What Joe didn't know was why.

Slowly, he began to see that Frank was treating Callie the same way, although not quite as frequently. It became something else they shared…something besides Cape May…the something that Joe could not remember. And he knew whatever it was that he couldn't remember was the key to Frank's behavior.

Callie had told him what went on while Nash and Jenkins had held them captive. In a way Joe was glad he couldn't remember. Between what he learned from Callie and the way he woke up screaming in the night from dreams that left him terrified although couldn't quite remember why, he hoped some things that happened in Cape May would remain forever buried.

But there was one thing he desperately wanted to remember. The one thing that had caused the rift between he and his brother. He hadn't wanted to tell anyone of his continued memory loss, but things had gotten so bad with Frank that Joe couldn't take it anymore. He knew he would have to ask Callie once again what had gone on in Cape May. Maybe this time he'd be able to figure out what it was that set Frank on this path of anger and mistrust. However asking Callie to relive those horrible days would be admitting his memory had never returned. Joe realized he had no choice. If he ever hoped to regain the close relationship he had with his brother, he needed to figure out what he had done and fix it. He couldn't do that without Callie's help.

Picking up the phone to call her, he was interrupted by a loud knock.

Opening the door, he found himself staring into the beautiful blue-grey eyes of his twenty-one year old girlfriend, Vanessa Bender. A slender young woman with ash blonde hair, she was almost as tall as Joe.

"Hey, Baby," he greeted her, a slow smile spreading across his face.

"Hey, yourself," she replied as Joe pulled her close to him, giving her a warm hug and a lingering kiss. He then simply stood in the doorway, holding her.

Not that Vanessa minded. It was only a few short months earlier that Joe had almost died. Ever since then she cherished every moment with him, never taking a second of their time together for granted. Tonight, however, she knew instinctively why Joe was so reluctant to let her go. Something – or rather someone – was bothering him…again. When he finally released her, she searched his deep blue eyes and knew she was right. Frank….

"What's the matter?" she asked, concerned.

"Nothing," Joe replied with an obviously forced smile. "Maybe I just like holding you."

"It's Frank again, isn't it?" she pressed.

Joe looked at her, silently begging her not to bring it up tonight. She had been furious at the way Frank was treating him – and Callie. However, Joe had begged, pleaded and finally cajoled her into not saying anything to Frank. Despite that, the air was usually thick with tension whenever Frank and Vanessa were in the same vicinity although Frank seemed oblivious to her change in attitude towards him. Then again, Frank seemed oblivious to a lot of things lately.

Vanessa sighed, crossing her arms over her chest.

"He has no right to treat you like this, Joe. You or Callie! You haven't done anything!" Vanessa continued, ignoring Joe's silent plea, her anger building.

"Apparently I have. I just don't know what." Joe looked at her, unable to conceal how much Frank's sudden distance was hurting him.

"Oh, come on. I was with Frank the whole time you and Callie were missing. And I barely left your side once we found you. You have done nothing – _nothing_ – to deserve this kind of treatment. And even if Frank thinks you did something wrong, why won't he just tell you what it is?"

"Because he's Frank." Joe said miserably. "He hates letting his real feelings show even at the best of times. I doubt he's going to suddenly want to have a heart to heart talk with me."

Looking at Joe, who seemed so despondent without his brother's constant presence in his life, Vanessa began to regret her outburst. She hated seeing Joe hurt and knew he didn't deserve to be treated so coldly by Frank and she sometimes had a hard time keeping that anger inside.

"You want me to beat it out of him?" she said in mock-seriousness.

"You'd do that for me?" Joe asked with a little grin.

"Damn skippy, " she replied with her favorite saying, the one that always made Joe laugh out loud as it did now. "And he better be ready. I've been working out, you know."

"Yeah, I can see that." Joe eyed her appreciatively. Reaching out he squeezed her upper arm. "Very impressive," he teased.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Joe pulled Vanessa onto his lap.

"Tell you what," he began, pushing her hair back off her shoulder and running his fingers down her arm. "Let's forget about Frank for tonight," he said huskily, nuzzling her neck.

As Vanessa melted into Joe's warm embrace, she gave one final thought to his brother. Despite her previous promise to Joe, despite her best intentions to keep it, she had a strong feeling her immediate future was going to include a massive blow out with Frank.


	3. Chapter 3

**Note:** _Thank you to TinDog, EvergreenDreamweaver, max2013, and Paulina Ann for the comments on the last chapter! They were all much appreciated. Thanks to those reading and following as well. There is some bug in the system whereby people have not received notifications of updates to stories in the last week or so strange! Enjoy._

Consequences

Chapter 3

The next day, Callie sat down in her bedroom and tried to take deep breaths to calm herself. Thank goodness she didn't have classes today. Frank, on the other hand, did, so he was out of the apartment until later that evening. She was trying to get things together to make a little birthday celebration for him. She had called Vanessa and Joe earlier and they were planning on making the short, forty- minute drive up to the apartment that evening.

Looking out of the window, Callie tried to force herself to be happy, but it wasn't working. _Why won't he tell me he loves me?_ she asked herself, again, as she had done for a long, long time now. It was getting harder and harder to remain neutral, to not ask Frank what was going on. She knew that eventually she would have to, and that the time was coming soon. Yet, as badly as she wanted and needed to know, she dreaded the response. _What have I done? I adore him. I'd never hurt him._ And then, the one word that kept coming up whenever she thought about it- _Joe._

 _Joe._ That HAD to be it. Despite Frank's constant reassurances that what had happened to his little brother hadn't been her fault, she had never been able to shake her own guilt about it. And knowing how much Joe meant to Frank, she kept coming to the same conclusion—that he still blamed her, as she blamed herself.

Deciding not to think about it, Callie slowly made her way into the kitchen, knowing that she had to prepare a nice meal for that evening. As soon as she took out the food, though, she had to put it down and walk to an open window. This nausea that she had experienced almost every morning was beginning to get to her as she was almost overcome with weakness. Sitting down, Callie buried her face in her hands, willing herself not to cry. Placing her hand on her stomach, she tried to concentrate on the life growing within her, the promise and joy that a child, created in love, could bring into her life with Frank. _But how can a baby add to our love if he doesn't love me now?_ The thought was almost too much for her, and she found herself about to cry.

However, a knock on the door prevented her from doing that. Glancing at the clock, Callie noticed it was just after 10:00. "Who could that be?" she asked herself softly, as she stood up slowly and made her way to the door.

Opening it, she found herself staring at a smiling Vanessa Bender.

"Van?" she asked. Vanessa and Joe weren't supposed to be there for hours yet.

"No—her evil twin," Vanessa replied, reaching down to give Callie a hug.

"How're you doing, girl?" Vanessa pulled back an instant to look at her friend, and noticed that she looked pale and drawn. She felt her heart go out to Callie as her need to protect her took over. _After all_ , she thought, trying not to be bitter at Frank, and losing, _Someone has to._

"Okay," Callie said, trying to smile. "Wha… I mean, you're here way early. Where's Joe? Is he here? Why are YOU here?"

Vanessa smiled at her friend. "Is that your way of saying I can come in?" she asked.

Callie finally smiled sincerely. "Yeah, of course," she replied, and ushered her friend in.

Sitting down at the kitchen table with Callie, Vanessa said, "Cal, I know I'm here early. Joe will be by in an hour or so. He just dropped me off. We decided to get Frank balloons and stuff, and a nice meal, so you wouldn't have to cook or anything. He's picking them up now. I just asked him to leave me here early so I could talk to you." Vanessa reached over and took Callie's hand. "How ARE you?" she asked, concerned.

Callie swallowed the lump in her throat and just shook her head, squeezing Vanessa's hand. She couldn't break down now. If she did, she didn't know if she could get it together again.

Vanessa felt her own eyes well up with tears. "Oh, Callie," she sighed. "He still hasn't gotten any better? What the HELL is the matter with him?!"

"It's okay," Callie whispered, getting her voice back at last.

"It most certainly is NOT!" Vanessa said, trying to control her temper. "He's acting the same way to Joe for God knows what reason. But at least Joe has me to talk to about it! I ought to slap him- hard!"

A laugh escaped Callie's lips in spite of herself. Vanessa, like Joe, had always had a fiery temper. They'd both be menaces to deal with, if their passion and kindness weren't equally as intense. "You think you could take Frank?" she asked with a small smile.

Vanessa wasn't amused. "I'll be happy to try!"

"Oh, Van," Callie said, getting up slowly. "Let's not ruin tonight. It's Frank's birthday. Let's make it special for him, okay?"

"Callie, you're unbelievable!" Vanessa countered. "How can you deal with him now?!"

Callie turned to her friend. "Because I love him, Vanessa, that's why."

Vanessa was quiet for a moment. What could she say? If the situation was reversed, she knew she'd stand by Joe, too, even if she thought he had lost his mind. That's what real love was. And, until three months ago, no one had exemplified that as Frank and Callie had—for years.

Deciding to give Callie a break, Vanessa said, simply, "Okay." Then, she had to add, "But, honey, you're pregnant! You can't go through this alone!"

Callie looked shocked as Vanessa uttered the word. "Van, you cannot tell anyone—please! You gave me your word!"

The pleading quality in Callie's eyes got to Vanessa, who gave her a hug.

"Callie, you know I'm dying to tell Joe, so he can knock some sense into his brother. But I won't," she emphasized. "I'll be here for you."

"Thank you," Callie said gently.

Deciding to change the subject, Vanessa decided to launch into a hilarious story about what Joe had said to one of his professors upon returning to school, and by the time she was done, she noticed that Callie looked to be feeling better. For the next hour or so, Vanessa entertained Callie with stories of what had been going on at college and back in Bayport, and helped Callie get together little snacks for everyone.

At about that time, there was another knock on the door, and Vanessa ran to get it. Callie watched at a distance as Joe and Vanessa greeted each other with a rather enthusiastic kiss, and Vanessa grabbed the bags from Joe's hands. Callie felt a pang as she watched the scene unfold. She wished more than anything that Frank would look at her the way that Joe looked at Vanessa.

Before Vanessa took the bags, Joe whispered to her, "An hour, babe. That's all I need. Thanks." He watched as she smiled back at him, and again was hit by the thought of how lucky he was to have her.

He watched as Vanessa said to Callie, "Cal? We totally forgot to get a cake! I knew that Joe would forget something," she added, playfully. "I'm gonna go—be back soon. Stay with Joe and make sure that he behaves himself!" With a quick wave at Callie and a quick kiss for Joe, she was gone, leaving Joe and Callie by themselves.

Callie looked up, surprised by Vanessa's whirlwind disappearance, and found herself looking at handsome Joe Hardy. Right away, she noticed that he still walked more slowly and looked a lot more stiff than before the incident last summer. Still, in his characteristic fashion, he acted like it was no big deal at all.

Walking over to Callie with a smile, Joe bent down and gave her a hug and a quick kiss on the cheek. As he took a moment to look at her, he noticed that she seemed a little pale, and hoped that wasn't because Frank was avoiding her like he had been avoiding him. God, he wished he remembered what had gone on last summer. The doctor had said—had virtually assured him—that his memory would be back by now. And he pretended to everyone, even to Vanessa, that it had come back. But it hadn't, and he had the strong suspicion that whatever he couldn't remember was the key to Frank's odd behavior. But he needed to talk to Callie now, and try to figure that out.

"Hey, sis," he said to her with a smile as he sat down next to her.

Callie returned the smile and took his hand. "Hey, yourself. How are you feeling?"

Joe was a bit uncomfortable with Callie touching him… since his own doubts were still lingering over her words. Still, as he looked at her, he felt what he always had—a contented, platonic affection. And, although he couldn't remember it at all, the bits and pieces he had been told by everyone made him know he had been through hell with Callie, and that bond could never be broken, even if he couldn't remember it yet.

"I'm fine," he said to her, partially lying. "How are you?"

"Fine," she said back, totally lying.

They looked at each other for a moment, each knowing the other too well.

Instinctively, Joe laughed. "Liar," he said, and Callie laughed weakly, too.

"Cal," Joe said seriously, "I… I need to ask you something. I need to know, again, what you said went on with us... in Cape May…" There. It was out.

Callie looked up at him, her brown eyes reflecting the horror she felt as she covered her mouth with her hand.

"Oh, God," she whispered, standing up. "Oh, Joe. You STILL don't remember?!"

Joe met her eyes, knowing that he had just revealed a secret to her that he didn't want anyone to know. Yet, he knew at the moment with absolute certainty that she wouldn't say anything. Some pain was too deep to be shared.

Shaking his head, he tried to ignore the look on her face. "Callie," he said, gently, "I need to get my brother back, and you need to get your fiancé back as well. We both love him…and sometimes he's fine, but other times… well, he's not," Joe said bluntly. "I have absolutely no idea what's wrong with him, but clearly something is. Maybe together we can figure it out. Please," he begged her.

Callie walked into the living room, turning her back on Joe. Maybe he was right; after all, she had been thinking the same thing. Still, why was she the only one who remembered that nightmare fully? Why did Joe look at her with such doubt when she had recalled it for him earlier? She didn't want to remember—it hurt too deeply. To this day, she still had nightmares about Jenkins…and what he had almost done to her. That, and constant images of kissing Joe, being forced to, waking up next to him, their clothing tattered… the secrets, the lies, the heartaches…

She hung her head down, and choked back a sob.

Joe, watching her from the kitchen, suddenly understood it wasn't that Callie didn't want to talk to him, but that she almost couldn't. _Idiot_ , he said angrily to himself, _you're making her relive a nightmare that you don't even remember._ And in that instant, any doubt he had about Callie, that she might actually be attracted to him or have encouraged the kiss in any way, dissipated from his mind as he saw her body posture. She looked so… defeated.

Joe went to her, gently touching her shoulder trying to comfort her. He couldn't ask her to talk. But… she whirled around on him, taking him by surprise.

Tears streaming down her face, she said to him, voice shaking, "You want to know, Joe?! WHY? You look at me like you don't believe what I tell you, anyway," she said, trying to be strong and failing.

"Callie," Joe retorted, shocked, "I DO believe you. Please—just tell me. I promise to take your word." He meant it.

"You protected me, Joe," Callie continued, tears still falling. "It's my fault- the whole, damned thing—it is!"

Joe stood, shocked. He was about to tell her not to be ridiculous when she went on, cutting him off.

"You want the truth? Here it is!" Callie went on. Joe noticed how she held onto her abdomen, and he instantly thought she was going to be sick. Still, she kept going, unraveling before him. "Nash and Jenkins roughed us up," she cried. "Let's be honest—they were going to rape me in addition to playing their mind games. But to stop them—the only way-they insisted I kiss you. I refused, of course. But then you TOLD me to do what they said! They pushed us together, Joe—into each other. They MADE us!" She was shaking so badly Joe thought she would collapse.

"Callie," he said, reaching for her, but she pulled away.

"And then," she went on, "They made us think we had slept together! We were drugged, Joe! You were hurt. They made us watch a video—it wasn't us. I… we…" she choked out, "Could never do that to each other- to Frank! And then they took you… with the truck… and you were hurt… and then Jenkins came back for me…Oh, God!" she cried. "I'm sorry, Joe!"

Joe felt his heart stop as he realized what she had said, and he felt instantly ashamed that he could ever think anything but the purest thoughts about Callie. They had always shared a special bond—their love for Frank- and he knew in his heart that she was telling the truth. _If only I could remember_ , he thought, angrily.

Joe reached out and took Callie in his arms, holding her tightly. He felt her trembling, her body wracking with sobs. _She doesn't deserve this_ , he said to himself, praying to God that somehow, someway, all of this would work out, and everyone could be happy again, like they had been before last summer.

Kissing her forehead in comfort, he said only, "I'm sorry, too," as he waited for his brother to come back so they could talk at last.

What he didn't see was that Frank was already there, having come home in between classes to relax. And as he had peered into the window, the only thing he did see was Callie and Joe in each other's arms.

Devastated, he turned away, knowing no birthday wish could make this better. The last candle had blown out...


	4. Chapter 4

**Note** : There has been a big glitch at the site over the last week whereby people are not receiving notifications for updates to stories- hopefully, this will be fixed soon. Thanks to those reading and following, and especially for the comments- we love to hear from everyone! Thank you so much to max2013, EvergreenDreamweaver, Paulina Ann, and Tin Dog for your reviews. We appreciate every one!

Consequences

Chapter 4

Frank Hardy looked at his watch and noted that it was almost 6:00. He had left a message for Callie that he would be home by 5:00, but after what he had seen, he hadn't been able to force himself to go home. After his last class had ended, he had wandered around, stopping at a local coffee shop, chatting with some friends, reviewing his notes from his latest lecture. He had done anything that he could think of to avoid THINKING. It was harder than he thought; thinking was the one thing that he had always done well.

Now, as he stood outside his apartment complex, he was left alone with his thoughts once again. How could he face Callie, face his brother, knowing what was going on? Then again, it was just another confirmation in a long line of circumstantial evidence and innuendo that never seemed to end. Why should this day be any different from the rest? _Because it's my birthday,_ he thought, sadly. _Can't I have one day, just one, not to think about this?_ If there was one thing that this afternoon's little spectacle had confirmed, however, it was that he was going to have to confront both of them—and soon. No longer could he NOT know the truth. Once and for all, they'd have to confess. _It's better than living in this shadow of doubt_ , _though_ , he noted.

As he walked slowly up to his apartment, he realized that despite everything, despite the fact that he would have the TALK- today would be different. Tomorrow… tomorrow would be the day he'd have to talk to Callie, the day when everything he knew would come crashing down. He knew with certainty that the woman he loved would be lost to him then, and the thought devastated him. _But I have to know…and if she really loved me, she never would have done this to me…never._ Still, he couldn't deny that Callie was as dear to him and as vital to him as ever, and now, with the possibility that she was pregnant with HIS child, things would be more complicated than ever. What would he do?

As he paused outside his door, he took a deep breath. Tonight, he would be the old Frank Hardy, the one who loved the woman of his dreams more than ever. He'd be the person who adored his little brother, and was beyond grateful that he was alive, and seemed to be getting back to his funny and vibrant self. _Because that's really who I am_ , he thought, choking back his emotions. _Yes, in spite of everything, I do love them both, and I want to believe them_. And for tonight, for his birthday, for this one day out of the year before the earth would move, losing the old Frank forever, he would hold onto his true self, and cling to his old life. He'd let the faintest thought that they were being honest carry him through because he wanted it to be true so much. _After all, if you believe a lie long enough,_ he added, _it does become the truth._

Before he had a chance to put his key in the lock, the door was thrown open, and Joe shouted, "Surprise!", tossing confetti in his direction.

Holding steady to his decision to live as he wished he could all the time, Frank smiled. "Oh, wow," he said, laughing at his brother. "I am sooooo surprised you remembered me." He rolled his eyes at his brother's enthusiasm.

Joe laughed, and gave Frank a big hug. "Of course I remembered!" Joe quipped, ushering his brother into the apartment. "I left a message for you last night! You could have returned the call, you know," he added, trying to keep things light.

Frank smiled, avoiding the dig. "Well, little brother, you were the first to wish me a happy birthday, as always!"

Joe smiled, happy that Frank still remembered their little tradition. "As always," he repeated.

"You're late," Vanessa chided him, stepping forward to give him a quick hug. She was reluctant to show Frank any more emotion or happiness than he was entitled to, but she was struck at how HAPPY he appeared to be, and she looked at him quizzically.

"What?" Frank asked with a laugh. "You're not happy to see me?!" He looked at her and did find himself actually truly happy to see her. _She's in almost the same situation I am_ , he thought. Then, he chided himself for thinking that. He had promised himself—tonight, the old Frank was back.

Finally, Vanessa returned the smile. Well, Frank did look normal, and he seemed genuinely happy to see her and Joe. She'd give him a chance—for Joe, for Callie. "You know, buddy, we waited on dinner for you. Joe and I brought it over!"

"You cooked?" he asked, seeming so shocked that both Joe and Vanessa started laughing. They were both notoriously horrible cooks, somehow surviving on take out, microwave dinners, and pasta… every night. He could just imagine what dinner would taste like.

"Don't worry, big brother," Joe said with a chuckle. "I bought it—you won't get poisoned or anything."

"I was worried," Frank laughed. "Was I that obvious?"

"Yeah!" they said together.

"Where's Callie?" Frank asked, looking around.

Joe paused before answering. Callie had been so drained earlier, he had insisted that she lay down for a while. She had, and hadn't been out of the bedroom since. He didn't know if she was up to coming to dinner. "Um, she wasn't feeling great, so she went to lie down," Joe answered.

"Is she okay?" Frank asked, genuinely concerned.

"Yeah," Joe answered, "but we figured a little rest might do her some good. Come on—catch us up on everything while Vanessa and I prepare dinner. Then, we can, you know… talk. Chat. Open presents!" he added, enthusiastically. This was Frank's birthday, after all, and he was talking and being open with him. Joe was a little afraid that a talk would ruin the atmosphere. He was willing to hold off on the talk for a few hours to enjoy being with his brother.

Frank rolled his eyes. "I don't know if I even trust you two to prepare dinner!" he joked with them. "And I hope my presents are good!" he added with a wink.

"You have no idea," Joe said seriously.

Laughing, Frank added, "I can only imagine!" Watching Vanessa set the table and hearing Joe's laughter, Frank felt emotional. It was so good to see Joe healthy and enjoying life again. He had missed him so very much. Just Joe's presence often had the effect of making him feel hopeful and happy about life. He was glad that Joe had come. Still, he had to do something. "Um, guys? I guess I'll trust you with dinner, at least for a few minutes. Don't burn down anything, okay? I just want to check on Callie."

Joe nodded, glad that Frank seemed concerned about her. "Okay," he replied. "But don't be too long! You have no idea what can happen to a perfectly good meal in such a short amount of time!"

Shaking his head and grinning, Frank opened the door to their bedroom, and saw Callie standing by the bed and stretching. When she turned around, he noticed right away that she looked tired and her eyes were a little red. Had she been crying? Was it because of him? _Not tonight,_ he said again to himself. It was so easy to live in a pretend world, especially when that world had once existed. And he would have it again, if only for one, last night.

"Callie?" he said to her.

"Hi," she replied with a small smile. "Happy birthday."

"Are you okay?" he asked, going to her and closing the door behind him.

 _No!_ Callie screamed inwardly. _I'm not. Can't you see that?!_ But, out loud, she said to him, "Oh, yeah. I'm okay. I'm glad you're home." Then, she found herself nervously walking around the room, straightening things, and making idle small talk. "Did you see Joe? Van? Wasn't it nice of them to come all the way here? Geez… did you know they even brought dinner? That was sweet. You…"

"Callie," Frank said, cutting her off. He had come up to her, and wrapped his arms around her from behind.

"Yes?" she asked, instinctively leaning back against him. She felt so nervous, and she didn't know why.

"Look at me," she heard him say, and she turned around, barely able to meet his eyes.

"Callie," he said again, tilting her face to his, "sit down for a second, okay?"

Numbly, Callie did exactly that, moving away from Frank and sitting on the bed.

Frank felt his heart beating hard in his chest as he looked at her. He knew she was hurting, and he knew it was because of him. He also knew that tomorrow everything would change. He had one last opportunity to make things right with her before they did. He wished to God that the things he was about to say wouldn't be on false pretenses, because he would mean them… every word. And he would mean them with Joe later, too.

"Cal," he said to her, taking her hand gently. "Tomorrow…" he found himself choking on the word, as he knew what it would bring… "Tomorrow, baby, we're going to talk… about everything."

Shocked, Callie looked up. Had she heard him correctly? She'd been waiting for him to say that for over three months. She was almost afraid to hope.

Frank felt horrible looking at her. _Oh, God. I can't believe I've hurt her so badly_. In that moment, that was the only thought on his mind.

"Really?" she finally whispered.

Swallowing hard, he answered her. "Yes, really." _If only she knew… that I know…. That the conversation won't be what she thinks it_ will… _but not tonight._

Tears in her eyes, she looked up at him. "About…" she whispered, mad at herself that she was barely able to find the words.

"About… everything," he said to her, releasing her hand and wrapping an arm around her. "What's been wrong…" he gulped back air before continuing, "the …baby…my behavior… there's… a reason…." _Yes, there is. And I owe her at least that… for all our years…for all our love…_

"Oh, Frank," she said softly, burying her face in his shoulder and choking back a sob, "thank you."

 _Thank you? Thank you? I've owed her that for so long. I should be thanking her…despite everything._

"I'm sorry," he said gently back to her, reaching out for her and pulling her tightly to him. And he was. Things never should have gotten this far. Fighting back a transient thought that he had nothing to do with it, he held her closer. Yes, he did. Even though she had betrayed him, and Joe had, he should have said something right away, done something. Maybe then he would have been able to salvage some parts of his life. Now, he didn't know if he could.

As he held her, he felt her trembling in his arms and fought back the lump in his throat Maybe she felt badly about what had happened… maybe she was sorry… it was unforgivable, but he couldn't hate her. He just couldn't. In fact, he found himself wishing he couldn't love her as much as he did. That reminded him… he might as well be honest for this last night.

"Baby?" He whispered to her.

Pulling slowly away from him, Callie met his eyes. It had felt…so wonderful… to be held again, as if he meant it. But, all good things must come to an end.

"What about the baby?" she asked, brushing back the last of her tears. Lord, she had cried a lot today.

Frank smiled tenderly at her. "I was talking to you, not ABOUT the baby," he said.

"Oh," she replied with a small laugh.

"Anyway," he said with an eye roll, and, with that, he reached out for her and kissed her deeply. As he did so, a thousand emotions rolled through him. THIS was what it had felt like for so many years, to love her totally and completely, and to just live in the moment, to live only for each other…He didn't want to stop.

Neither did Callie, but after almost five minutes, she reluctantly pulled away from him. "We have guests," she said, breathlessly, part of her not really caring. Still, it wasn't completely right…not yet, although it was more than she had dared to hope for in a long, long time. She stood up and gave him a smile, still warm from his touch, which she had missed for so long.

Following after her, he stopped her as she was about to open the door, and turned her around to face him.

"Before you go," he said to her, wanting desperately to hold onto the moment.

"Yeah?" she asked, looking up at him, not wanting to go, herself.

"I love you." It was truer than she would ever know.

Callie covered her mouth with her hand and knew she was trembling again. Had he… had he just said it…she felt her heart fill up and, unexpectedly, tears slipped from her eyes again. She stared at him, stunned.

Frank looked at her, fighting back his own tears as he wondered if this was the last day that he'd ever say those words to her, the last day that he'd ever hear them from her. Had he really made her feel so empty by not telling her how he felt? _I guess so. I used to tell her every day, all day. I didn't think it was possible to feel that much joy with anyone…_

He hugged her tightly against him, clinging to her for his own sake. At once, he kissed her again, even more passionately than before, desperate to have this moment last… to freeze time.

Callie finally pulled back, overjoyed beyond her wildest imagination. Whatever had made Frank come to his senses, she really didn't care. All she knew was that she would do anything to keep him here, to not let him go.

"I love you, too," she said at last, catching her breath, and smiling from ear to ear.

Frank kissed her again, needing this moment. "We'll definitely continue this later," he said to her, continuing to give her little kisses. And, knowing how much that moment had meant to Callie, he wanted to tell her…one last time…

"I love you, Callie."

Hugging her, he added, and he meant it, despite the terrible pain in his heart…. "Always. No matter what."

Holding her hand tightly, he exited the bedroom, knowing that he needed to talk to Joe as well, and to tell him the same thing on this one night.

Because it was true.

And because, for him, he knew it might well be the last time for normalcy in his life.


	5. Chapter 5

**Note:** T _he site has been experiencing glitches for well over a week, so notifications to the story and updates may not have been sent out. If you missed it,please read chapter 4 before this one. Thank you to those of you reading and following, and especially those of you who take the time to review, which is much appreciated. To that end, since the last chapter, thank you to Paulina Ann, Max2013, and EvergreenDreamWeaver. We hope you enjoy!_

Consequences

Chapter 5

As he exited the bedroom with Callie, holding tightly to her hand, Frank felt himself smile as he looked around. Realizing that he was probably gone much longer than he had initially wanted to be, Frank found himself admiring what Joe and Vanessa had done in his absence. All around him were balloons and streamers, and a big pile of presents sat on the living room table. In addition, the kitchen table was set and piled high with food, and it actually smelled wonderful… a far cry from Joe and Vanessa's natural culinary abilities.

"What's all this?" he asked, turning to his brother.

"You're 23 today, bro!" Joe said, and blew one of those whistles that everyone seemed to have at New Year's.

Frank laughed as Joe handed him a goofy hat that said, "Birthday boy."

"Joe, there's no way on earth I'm wearing that!" he replied, shaking his head.

"Oh, yes you are," Vanessa countered, waving a finger playfully at him.

"And we'll get it all on video for you to remember for years to come! The good times!" she teased.

 _The good times_ , he repeated to himself, noting the irony.

"You guys made the dinner?" Callie cut in. "I'm sorry. I should have helped."

Joe smiled at her, a look that Frank didn't miss. Joe couldn't help but to be happy that Frank and Callie seemed so together at the moment. It was nice to see them that way. Until a few months ago, he had never actually seen them any way other than together.

"Cal, don't worry. Vanessa and I took care of everything," he replied.

Callie grinned back. "That's why I'm worried."

"Whatever!" Vanessa cut in, and ushered Callie and Frank into the kitchen.

"Now eat! I didn't slave over a hot stove all day for nothing!"

"You didn't cook!" Joe teased her, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek.

Vanessa blushed, but then replied, "Well, I slaved over a phone calling in the order and Joe slaved over a cash register… so… it counts for something!" she quipped, making both Frank and Callie laugh.

As Frank sat down to dinner, he kept true to his plan to make this the perfect evening of old. He listened in to Callie and Vanessa chat, and made sure to stick by Callie the whole night, talking to her and touching her. He watched as she gave him happy glances, and remembered at that moment how happy it made him to see her happy—how vivacious, funny, and beautiful she was. And he watched Vanessa and Joe, flirting happily with each other, play fighting, and teasing each other, like an old, married couple. He couldn't help but to be amazed by how close Vanessa and Joe had become, especially in the last year or so, and be grateful that his brother was in love with a lovely person who seemed to adore him, despite all his silliness. He fought back the idea that Joe was in love with someone other than Vanessa… reminding himself to be happy—again.

And then there was Joe. Throughout dinner, Frank found himself laughing at his brother's outrageous antics and stories, and swallowed the lump in his throat as he thought about Joe's betrayal. He loved his little brother… when he had almost lost Joe, Frank had never felt such a sense of emptiness. Joe was his best friend, the life of the party, the generous and kind person who always knew how to make others feel better. Growing up, Frank remembered all the times he had had to bail Joe out of trouble, and realized that he had never minded. Somehow, his baby brother always made it up to him. It felt strange to feel that he didn't really know the one person whom he'd always thought knew him better than anyone else.

As soon as dinner was over, Joe insisted that Frank open his gifts.

"Joe," Callie laughed, "I think I ought to clean up first, don't you?"

The surprised look on Joe's face cracked Vanessa up. Joe was like a kid wanting to open his Christmas gifts, but being told he couldn't wake up his parents before 8:00 to have them go with him. She was again amazed at what a big kid her boyfriend could be; but that's what she loved so much about him. Although he was a major goofball, he was also the kindest, most tender, and most loving man she had ever met in her life. She closed her eyes for a second to thank God again that he was alright, and he was with her. Then, she had to reply, "Oh, Cal—let him go. We'll clean up later."

Joe blew her a kiss, and then slapped Frank hard on the back. "Ready, bro?! This is awesome!"

Frank chuckled. "Joe, you're more excited than I am!" he responded playfully.

Joe smiled. "Just remember that my birthday is only two months away when you see your presents," he joked.

"Please do," Vanessa said, rolling her eyes. "Joe has been reminding me every day for the past month. Maybe I should get a gift for putting up with him!"

"I've been saying that for years," Callie teased.

"Hey!" Joe protested, watching everyone dissolve in laughter at his expense.

Joe led everyone into the living room. For the first time in a long time, he was happy. Seeing Frank acting so warmly again to him, and to Callie, gave him the hope that for whatever reason, maybe he was getting his older brother back. _And maybe we can put the hell we've all been through behind us_ , he said silently to himself. He was making every effort to be happy and outgoing, his normal self. And he WAS feeling better. Finally, he believed Callie, and he prayed that everything stored in the deep recesses of his memory would come back to him. It was a strange feeling, not remembering, like reading a page in a novel over and over again, knowing it says SOMETHING, but not being able to process the words.

Joe watched as his brother opened the gifts. Their parents had sent along gifts as well, since they were unable to come. Their mom was spending the weekend in New York with their aunt, and their dad… well, he was still working on the case, trying to find Nash, the man who had caused their lives to be torn apart last summer. Although Fenton never spoke to him about it, Joe knew that his father would never stop until the man who had hurt his family was put to justice. And he wanted to keep both of his sons as far away from everything as possible, wanting to protect them at all costs. None of that was ever verbalized, but Joe knew it… and he knew that his father KNEW that he knew it. No words had ever been needed.

Joe laughed as he watched his brother blush opening gifts from their parents. As usual, their mother, Laura, had sent socks and underwear, staying true to her claim that "they're always useful!"

"Sexy!" Joe quipped. "Bet Callie really loves those!" He watched as Callie and Frank turned bright red, and Vanessa playfully swatted him.

Frank shook his head, still blushing, as he continued to open his gifts. Their parents had also sent him some nice shirts and, as he opened their card, a more than generous check. He read the note silently. _Dear Frank, Treat yourself to something nice while you still can. Once you get married, it's all over! (Joke) Love, Dad._ Smiling, Frank noticed his mother's handwriting underneath. _Darling, you could use it to buy yourself a nice couch, like where your father will be spending plenty of time! Here's hoping Callie has more patience than I do… love, mom._

"What's so funny?" Joe asked, noticing his brother chuckle.

"Nothing," Frank said to him. "Mom and dad were just being funny in the card." Handing it to his brother, Frank watched as Joe laughed, too, before passing it onto the girls.

Next, Frank opened Vanessa's gift. She had bought him some new computer software, sharing his passion for all things digital. Thanking her, he gave her a quick hug.

"Open Callie's now!" Joe said, and Frank raised a quizzical eye.

"Why?" he asked.

"Save the best for last!" Joe teased, giving an enthusiastic thumbs up.

Callie just laughed. "Joe, Frank can open mine later," she said, slightly embarrassed.

"No way, chick! Now!" He was so insistent that everyone was cracking up watching him.

Frank looked at the small box Callie had set aside for him with apprehension. She'd always given him such wonderful gifts, year after year, even though he always insisted, and meant it, that she shouldn't spend her money on him. But her gifts had always been more than about money—they'd always reflected the past year somehow, or had some personal touch to it. Slowly, he opened the card, glancing at Callie out of the corner of his eye. He could tell she was nervous, used to giving him presents in private. Taking out the card, he read it, forcing back tears. " _Sweetheart, happy birthday. Thank you for making me the happiest woman ever. I am so grateful to have you in my life, and you've given me the greatest gift of all—your heart. Every day, I am amazed that you chose me to spend the rest of your life with, and I will try my best- always- to make you that happy in return. I hope that every time you look at my gift, you know that the minute that just passed was just one more in which my love for you grew stronger. Have a wonderful day! I love you. Always, Callie_

Frank tried to control his breathing as he read the note, and to keep his expression neutral. _I can't do this,_ he said to himself. _I can't go on living this lie._ Glancing at Callie, he noticed that she looked so innocent, so expectant, so utterly full of love for him it was almost unreal. _That's because it IS unreal. How does she do it? How can she act that way… LOOK that way… knowing what she did…NO! NOT tonight. Believe her. Believe Joe._

With slightly shaking hands, he opened the gift and saw the expensive watch that he had been eyeing for almost a year. How could she afford that? As Joe let out a whistle and Vanessa cooed over it, Frank turned the watch over in his hands. Callie had gotten it engraved. " _Frank…for all time… Callie."_

"I don't know what to say," he whispered to her.

"Do you like it?!" Callie asked, enthusiastically, as Joe tried it on and admired it. "It's the one you wanted…"

 _No, it's not,_ he thought as he looked at her. _You're the one I wanted…_ Shaking off the thought, he reached over to her and hugged her tightly. "I love it," he whispered, knowing he'd never be able to look at it without feeling his heart break. "Thank you."

Callie gave him a kiss on the cheek and held onto him tightly. They clung to each other, trying to hold onto the moment.

"AHEM!" Joe said, interrupting them.

Slowly, they pulled apart from each other, Frank still keeping one arm tightly around Callie.

"You know," Joe muttered, "You still have my gift to open."

Vanessa laughed and gave him a hug. "Aw, Joe," she teased him, playfully. "I love you, even if Frank is ignoring you right now!"

"Thank you," he said, sighing dramatically. "At least someone around here appreciates me!"

"I love you, too," Frank said to his brother, seriously, and Joe was shocked. Frank?! Telling him he loved him?! And in the presence of other people?!

At his shocked expression, Frank had to laugh. This was what it was like to be surrounded by happiness, by love. This is what he had missed so much—his ebullient brother, Vanessa's laughter, his beautiful fiancée, all surrounding him, making him a better person. _Don't let it end,_ he pleaded silently, although he knew it would be in vain. Still, he intended to make tonight special…one last day when the world could keep turning. Not caring if he shocked his brother, Frank released Callie for a moment, and hugged Joe tightly.

Joe was too stunned to even reply. Even though his ribs still ached when Frank touched him, his heart was unbelievably happy. He closed his eyes for a brief minute as he hugged Frank back. _It's gonna be okay,_ he thought. _This time, what happened to us…last summer… won't have any consequences. But aren't there always consequences for our actions?_ He shrugged off the thought, happy in the moment.

"Ya big mush!" Joe said, pulling slowly away from his big brother. "I knew you couldn't be mad at me for long!"

"Who said I was mad?" Frank asked, but Joe saw the look in his eyes, and it scared him.

"Um, no one. It was a joke."

"Oh."

"Um, why don't you open Joe's present?" Vanessa asked.

"Good idea," Callie chimed in, eager as Joe was to keep Frank in this good place.

"Okay," Frank said at last, ignoring Joe's last question. _Does he know? Does he know that I KNOW? Not tonight!_

He smiled and eyed Joe. "I'm a little afraid."

"As you should be!" Joe joked, blue eyes twinkling.

Joe watched as Frank opened his gift and burst out laughing. "Gee, Joe," he replied, rolling his eyes, "thank you. More socks! And one in every color—how thoughtful!"

Everyone roared with laugher. Joe smiled. Every year, he typically got Frank some awful gift, saving his good gift for Christmas. After all, he wasn't a millionaire! But that wasn't the case...this year.

"What do you think?" Joe asked.

Frank snorted. "It really sox."

Vanessa and Callie groaned at his pun. "Please, God, tell me he's not getting Joe's sense of humor!" Callie quipped.

"No, wait!" Joe said, pretending to be contemplative. "I think… maybe there's something inside the socks…"

"Do I need gloves?" Frank asked, unable to resist a smile.

"Just look!" Joe said, excited.

Hesitantly, Frank reached inside the socks and pulled out an envelope. He raised an eyebrow at his brother.

"Read it!" Joe said, happily.

Frank did. " _Well, big brother, you're two years older…again! How DO you keep doing that every year? Anyway…this year has had its ups and downs. I'm glad to just be here with you-sharing it together, as it should be. I know I don't tell you all the time (so don't read the card out loud or I'll kick your ***) but every year, you just keep inspiring me with everything you are. I think one day…when I'm all grown up, like you are… I know I'll be a good person because you've given me that example to live by. Thank you for always being there for me…for bailing me out in the few times I've gotten into teensy scrapes-LOL…for being my partner and best friend…and for always believing in me and trusting me to do the right thing. I'll try not to let you down. So…enjoy, old man! I love you. Love, your little bro."_

Frank was choked up. "Oh…Trusting him…believing in him… Joe!" He screamed silently. "Why did you do it?"

And then he saw it. Joe had given him a certificate for a 10-day vacation at Disney World. It was all there- tickets to Disney World, MGM, Universal…. Confirmation numbers for hotel rooms…plane tickets… meal vouchers…

Frank was speechless as he looked at his brother. It must have cost him a fortune! Joe couldn't afford that…

"Joe," he managed, but Joe cut him off.

"Look!" he began with a smile. "Don't tell me not to do it, because it's done. Before you asked how, I just took some scholarship money…I mean, a few more months of student loans are no big deal!" He continued, flushing with pride. "And you'll notice there are 4 tickets… all for Winter break! You know I invited myself along, and decided to allow Cal and Van to come, too!" he added, pleased. "I figured," he cut in, more seriously, "That since last summer's trip didn't pan out…" his voice trailed off and he found himself unable to continue.

Frank stood up, and walked to the window, silently, brushing back tears. He felt honestly overwhelmed. Was this Joe's attempt to say he was sorry for…for Callie?! If it was, he thought he would throw up. But…what if…what if…Joe was sincere? What if he chose to believe his brother? Joe's generosity, in that case, was astounding. _Oh, Joe,_ he thought, again wiping the tears away _, make me believe you. Please. I can't lose you again._ But he couldn't believe him, and that hurt him more than anything.

"Uh, maybe we should get the cake," Callie offered, seeing that Frank needed a few minutes. Joe's gift was incredible.

"Oh!" Vanessa replied, raising a hand to her mouth. "I forgot it!"

"You forgot it?!" Callie asked with a smile. "But I thought that's where you were going this afternoon when you dropped Joe off with me."

Frank heard the words, and felt like dying inside.

Vanessa smiled back, Joe having told her about his talk with Callie.

"Oops!" was all she replied.

"I'm sure we can whip up something!" Callie said, and grabbed Vanessa's hand, about to drag her into the kitchen. Before she did, though, she bent down and whispered to Joe, "Give him a few minutes. Thank you, Joe."

She kissed his cheek.

Vanessa gave him a kiss as well, and then followed Callie.

Joe, incredibly happy that he had been able to surprise his brother so much, walked up behind him and patted his shoulder. "You're welcome," he said, pleased. However, he was shocked when Frank turned around and had tears in his eyes.

"Joe… why?" Frank choked out, unable to hold his emotions in. That was all he ever really wanted to know…why.

Joe smiled, and hugged Frank. "Because I love you, big brother," he said.

Frank just held onto his brother, knowing that wasn't what he had wanted to know, but knowing that should be enough.

And, as Callie, Vanessa, Joe, and Frank tried to come together for one last evening, to celebrate Frank's birthday and to surround themselves with love and happiness…

Vanessa found herself more in love with Joe than ever.

Callie prayed that she could hold onto the man she loved and that their child, which she carried in secrecy, would grow to be the best of both of them. She hung onto Frank's words that he loved her, and blushed at the anticipation of the night to come.

Joe watched his brother's reaction with pure happiness, and chose to believe that finally, everything would be all right.

Frank felt his heart breaking, torn between intense love and intense despair, knowing that although he lived tonight, he would die tomorrow.

And someone, at a distance, was watching all of them…

And laughing, knowing what was to come.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Note:** Thanks to TinDog, max 2013, Paulina Ann, and BeeBee18 for your reviews on the last chapter. We appreciate every one. This chapter is short, so we will post the next chapter tomorrow or Sunday. Also, some of the Disney things mentioned in the chapter are from 15 years ago, and the House of Mouse has evolved since then, so just be aware._

Consequences

Chapter 6

As Joe and Vanessa made the drive back to Bayport, Joe couldn't keep the smile off his face. Finally, Frank was acting like his old self, the brother Joe had missed so terribly. Suddenly knowing why Frank had been acting so strangely all these months no longer mattered. Frank was finally back and Joe had no intention of doing anything that might push him away again.

' _Even if I can't remember what it was I did the first time.'_ Joe thought wistfully.

From the passenger seat, Vanessa watched her boyfriend and couldn't help but worry. She was thrilled to see Joe smiling and happy again and knew it was because of the way Frank had treated him tonight – the way he used to, before Cape May. She also had a very strong feeling that Frank's change in attitude wasn't going to last long. He had never discussed what it was that caused him to start treating Joe and Callie so badly and neither Joe nor Callie had any clue, other than it had something to do with their vacation in Cape May. Vanessa had a feeling Joe was heading for a big fall, thinking everything was now fine with Frank and started to prepare herself to pick up the pieces for him when the inevitable happened.

Feeling Vanessa's eyes on him, Joe glanced at her, still smiling. "Any particular reason you're staring at me? Other than my stunning good looks, of course," he joked.

"That and your modesty," Vanessa replied, rolling her eyes. "Actually, I was just enjoying seeing you so happy," she said, not wanting to ruin his good mood with the truth. And she _was_ glad to see him happy, especially given the feeling she had that it probably wouldn't last long.

"Did you see him tonight, Van?" Joe asked excitedly. "He's back to his old self. Whatever was bothering him is in the past now. I've got my big brother back."

"Yes, I saw it." Vanessa said, turning to look back out the window.

"I really surprised him this time. He thought all he was getting was the socks." Joe's smile grew even bigger as he recalled the look on his brother's face when he found his real birthday present inside one of the socks. "I can't wait for Winter Break now!" He exclaimed, glancing at his girlfriend. "The four of us will have a blast together! A big improvement over the vacation from hell," he joked, rolling his eyes. "Are you excited about it?"

"I'm excited to go anywhere with you," Vanessa told him. After almost losing him last summer, Vanessa would have been thrilled to watch paint dry as long as she could do it with Joe by her side.

"Me too." Joe replied, knowing how lucky he was that Vanessa took his rather unorthodox lifestyle in stride. She could have any guy she wanted, someone she didn't have to worry about day and night, wondering whether or not he'd come back alive whenever he left the house, yet she still wanted him. "The Magic Kingdom. Hollywood Studios. Animal Kingdom. Epcot. Hey, they have the Richard Petty Experience there now! Man, I can't wait to try that!"

"Is that the one where you can drive a real race car around the track?" She asked, trying to remember what Joe had told her about it.

"Yeah, that's the one! I can drive as fast as I want and not have to worry about getting a ticket!" He laughed. "And we _have_ to go to Islands of Adventure, too! They have the _best_ roller coasters! And of course we have to go to Pleasure Island – every night!"

"Every night?!" Vanessa laughed at his enthusiasm. "I doubt Frank and Callie will be up for that."

"I was thinking more along the lines of just the two of us…" Joe remarked. Taking her hand in his, he brought it up to his lips and kissed it lightly. "I want to spend some time alone with you. Just us."

"That sounds wonderful," Vanessa blushed, leaning over and kissing Joe on the cheek.

"Are you sure you're looking forward to this trip, Babe? You don't seem too excited about it," Joe asked, finally acknowledging her unnaturally reserved nature.

Vanessa sighed before answering. She didn't want to tell him she thought this trip would never even get off the ground, that Frank's change of heart was only temporary. Joe was so happy, for the first time since Cape May and she didn't want to ruin it.

Joe sighed heavily. "What?"

"Nothing." Vanessa replied, her voice tight.

"Come on, Van. What's bothering you?" Joe pressed.

Vanessa turned towards him and smiled. "Nothing that can't wait for another day. Tonight I just want you to be happy." She leaned over and kissed him once more.

"And I am." Joe quickly reverted back to his good mood. "No more cold shoulder. No more ignored phone calls. From now on, it'll be just like it used to be. Doesn't even matter that I can't remember what caused it all."

"What?!" Vanessa asked, snapping her head towards Joe.

"What do you mean ' _What'_?" Joe replied, startled by her reaction.

"You said you couldn't _remember_ what caused it all." Vanessa repeated Joe's words, eyeing him closely.

"Did I?" Joe said nervously. "I meant even if I don't _know_ what caused it."

"But that's not what you said," Vanessa told him, worry evident in her voice.

"That's what I meant," Joe told her, obviously getting agitated. "Same difference."

"Joe…"

"Drop it, Van, okay? I'm fine." Joe lied, pulling into the parking lot of his dorm. Easing the car into a space in front of the building, he cut the engine and turned to his girlfriend.

"Uh, didn't you forget something?" Vanessa asked as Joe leaned in for a kiss, silencing her.

Pulling away a few moments later, he smiled at her devilishly. "What'd I forget?" he asked, running his fingers through her long hair.

"You forgot to take me home," she replied.

"Did I?" he asked, with a mischievous grin. "Then why don't you stay here tonight…" He pulled her close and kissed her again, happy that things were finally looking up.

As they got out of the car and walked to Joe's dorm, Vanessa couldn't shake the feeling this wasn't over. Deep inside she knew Frank's good mood was just the calm before the storm. Glancing at Joe, who was still smiling, she wondered how much he could take before Frank broke his heart for good.


	7. Chapter 7

**Note** : _A Happy Mother's Day to all moms living and in heaven today. Thank you to max 2013, Paulina Ann, and EvergreenDreamweaver for taking the time to leave feedback on the previous chapter. It is much appreciated._

Consequences

Chapter 7

The next morning, Callie sat down on her bed, closed her eyes, and smiled. Somehow, someway, Frank seemed to be back, and she couldn't have been any happier. Last night's rather impromptu birthday dinner had been a great success. It seemed as though whatever was plaguing Frank over these past few months had been set aside. Although she knew that today would be the talk, and she was a little nervous about it, a greater part of her thought, really believed, that everything would at last be okay.

Callie opened her eyes and watched the sun steam through the open window. She knew that she had quite a few errands and things to take care of today before Frank got home from his class, but she was reluctant to start her day. Last night…it had been so wonderful…

Callie felt herself blush as she thought of it, and then laughed out loud for her silliness. After Joe and Vanessa had left for the evening, she had finally been alone with Frank. And, for one night, things returned to how they had always been. He was sweet, loving, romantic, tender… every bit the man she had fallen in love with, and every bit the one she knew she would be with for the rest of her life. This morning had been just a continuation of the long evening, as Frank held her in his arms tightly, almost refusing to let her go. On more than one occasion, Callie remembered looking into his eyes and being struck by the emotion in them. He had looked at her with such intensity it almost bordered on making her feel uncomfortable, but she had shrugged it off, content to lie in his arms and feel his love surround her.

As Callie sat up, she tried to figure out Frank's reaction as he left for his class in the morning. That was the one thing that she found a little odd, although she refused to make more of it than it probably was. As he was about to leave, he had come back to the bed and reached out his arms to her.

 _"Callie," he said, meeting her eyes. "Come here."_

 _She noticed that his voice was strained with emotion, and she was concerned._

 _"Are you okay, baby?" she asked._

 _But he hadn't answered, not right away at least. Instead, he pulled her to him, and said in a voice thick with emotion, "Just let me hold you."_

 _She hadn't known what to do. As she felt his arms surround her, she had just wanted to be content and in the moment. But something about the quivering in his voice, about the way in which he was holding her so tightly it almost hurt, began to get her nervous…and she had no idea why._

 _And he HAD held her…for a long time, in silence. She knew he would be late for class. He didn't seem to care, and she knew that for some reason…she should just let him be. When he finally released her, he had tilted her face to his and kissed her with an intense passion that came so suddenly, so unexpectedly, that Callie was almost overcome with emotion. Rather than pursuing, it, though, he had just pulled away, and she knew…she just knew…_

 _That there had been tears in his eyes._

 _And then he turned and left, without another word. And she had looked after him, stunned, still feeling his touch and his warmth and yet, inexplicably, shivering…_

Callie shook off the thought. _Maybe he was emotional because of the night we had_ , she said to herself. It HAD been magnificent.

 _Maybe…maybe it was because he's sorry about the way he was acting, and he felt badly that he had let it go on for so long._ Yes. Yes, that could be it. _Maybe he's just happy about our future, our child, and the fact that life is starting to fall into place._ She clung to that last thought the longest as she placed a hand on her stomach and thought of the child she was carrying. She pushed back any notion that Frank's behavior could be attributed to anything remotely negative. It would be all right-because he was Frank, and Frank always made everything okay. And she loved him for it.

Smiling, Callie at last allowed herself a few minutes to think and to prepare for Frank's arrival back in a few hours. Checking that she was alone again, Callie bit her lip and reached under the bed, where she had bought and hidden a few copies of _Bridal_ and _Baby_ magazines. Until last night, she had been too upset to even think about her wedding or child, but last night Frank had renewed her hope.

Slowly, she picked up _Bridal_ first and started flipping through the pictures. Looking at all the gorgeous gowns, she smiled sadly. _Well, it'll be a while before I can fit into any of those,_ she thought silently, although she had gained a total of only three pounds so far. Still, she wasn't that upset. She had wanted to marry Frank because she loved him dearly, not because of a wedding day. At the thought, Callie chuckled softly to herself. _Vanessa, on the other hand, will be devastated._

Shaking her head affectionately, Callie thought of her best friend after she had gotten engaged. Vanessa must have worn Callie's ring more than she had, and had started planning for a dream wedding almost instantly. She had picked all sorts of gowns that had "called" to her, selected bridal party colors, insisted that she knew the perfect flowers…she had been wonderful. Although Callie knew that in reality, her wedding would probably be small and elegant, she had found herself reluctantly getting all caught up in Vanessa's enthusiasm. _I hope she marries Joe one day_ , Callie couldn't help but to think. _I'd love to have her in my family, since she's like a sister already_. Grinning, Callie thought of what a gala event THAT wedding would be, between Vanessa's grandiose ideas and Joe's antics.

Then, she put down the first magazine and picked up _Baby_. She felt her heart start pounding a little more. When Callie had first found out she was pregnant, she had been terrified. She was only 22- she wanted a life, a career, a few years with the love of her life before starting a family. When Frank was 20, he had started casually bringing up the idea that they'd one day get married. It had been HER who always "hushed" him, telling him that she didn't plan on getting married to anyone before she was 30. She'd said it so often, and had meant it, that she had no idea he'd propose so soon.

Of course, she had known…all her life, really… that Frank had been THE ONE. They'd been dating for almost 8 years when he had proposed, but my- he'd managed to shock her. She looked again at her ring, and was filled with happiness. Whenever Frank had joked about kids, he always had told her he wanted 2 little boys to be just like he had been with his brother, and at least one little girl, whom he'd spoil rotten. She had always known that he would be a great daddy one day. His kindness, patience, and good heart ensured that, as did the way in which he always treated those he loved. But telling him she was pregnant…and so soon… THAT had been hard, especially after the hell they had all gone through last summer.

Time, though, had mellowed her to the idea, and she was excited, despite her precarious situation with Frank and her morning sickness. As she flipped through the magazine, she felt a little teary eyed as she looked at pictures of the babies. _What will our child look like?_ she wondered to herself, and smiled. _Brown eyes, definitely!_ She tried to imagine what a new life would look like, a combination of her and Frank. _I hope she…he…inherits Frank's smile, his twinkling eyes…_

And Joe! He'd be the crazy uncle, the one whom every kid adored—she was sure of it. He'd be the type of uncle to spoil his niece or nephew rotten and leave the parents to deal with the after effects! She giggled softly at the thought. Joe and Frank would both be so wonderful, taking her baby to parks, ball games (whether it was a boy or a girl!), school functions, Santa visits…

Callie wiped back a tear. She didn't know if she was ready for it, but she did know she'd try her best, and with Frank as a father, the child would have to have his kind heart and be a good person. _I hope the baby gets the best of both of us,_ she prayed, as all expectant mothers do.

If there was one thing she could change about the whole situation, though, other than the timing, it was the fact that Frank didn't want her to tell anyone, and she couldn't quite figure out why. She was totally in the dark about what to do, and she longed to speak to her mom, or to Laura, Frank's mom, or any one of her friends. A part of her felt completely alone. When she had confided in Vanessa, finally, it had been such an incredible sense of relief.

"Oh, Frank," she sighed to herself. "I love you, though." And, with a big smile, she patted her stomach and whispered, "and I love you, little one." She felt almost giddy as she said it.

Then, she knew one thing that she had to do as she came back to reality. She looked at her "to do" list, and saw that #1 read "call Joe." Smiling, she realized she had scribbled little hearts all over the list by Joe's name since she had been thinking about Frank when she had written the list. Walking into the living room, she picked up the phone and dialed, waiting for the familiar voice to pick up.

"Hello?"

"Joe?" Callie said into the receiver. "Hey-it's your future sister in law."

"Hey, Callie! What's going on?" Joe sounded happy, relaxed… _the way he always did, until last summer_ , Callie couldn't help but to think, regretfully. Still, she had called for a reason.

"Nothing," Callie began, but then changed her mind. "Actually, something. I…well, first of all, I wanted to apologize for last night. I didn't mean to become a blubbering mess and I…I.." _I what? I told the truth- it WAS my fault? I shouldn't have yelled—I know you're still in pain? I…_

Joe's voice brought her to the present. "Listen, Cal…no problem, really. I'm just glad that Frank was so happy last night, you know? Besides, I shouldn't have brought it up. It's in the past. You won't… you won't tell anyone what I told you, right?"

Callie could hear the hesitation in his voice. She was still amazed by how brave Joe was being not telling anyone that he still couldn't remember. She disagreed with his decision, but she respected him. Besides, she wanted to put last summer to rest as well. "Of course not, Joe," she replied.

"Thanks," he said, sounding relieved.

"Joe?" Callie continued. "Thanks for…for everything. I think Frank needed to see you to feel better- to act normally again. It," she paused, not sure of how to go on. Finally, she said the truth. "It's nice to know that we were- are- on the same side. Last summer… I know you don't remember…"

"Callie," Joe cut in.

"…But I won't ever forget. Thank you."

The other end of the line was silent for a few moments. Finally, Joe spoke.

"Callie, look. Last summer was horrible. I wish I could remember—maybe I will. But I know that I'd always protect you, and Frank would do the same for Vanessa. You're… well, I mean, you're family now, and you know I love you. Let's just forget about it, okay?" Then he chuckled. "I guess it's easier for some of us," he joked.

Callie felt her eyes fill with tears, which she quickly wiped away. Joe was always so quick to joke. More importantly, he was always so open and honest with his thoughts and feelings. He was a fierce enemy, but an even more fiercely loyal friend.

"Cal?" She heard Joe's voice.

"I love you, too, Joe."

Joe laughed. "What's not to love?" he quipped, and Callie laughed in spite of herself.

"Listen, Cal," Joe went on, "I have to go. Thanks for last night. Have Frank give me a call when he can, okay? I'm really glad things seem to be working out. Take care of my brother, will you?"

"Of course," she said, softly. Joe Hardy always had a way of making her-anyone, really- feel better. "Bye, Joe. And thanks."

"Later, sis," he replied, and hung up.

As Callie was about to go to #2, which read, simply, "The affair," she heard a knock on the door. _Oh, well,_ she thought. Her mom's affair –the monthly Girls' Night out dinner- would have to be scheduled for her mother later. She was doing it as a favor for her mother, who was out of town for a few days. Her mom had always labeled the monthly fun day as an "affair"- she always said it sounded more glamorous than "house-mom's to _Friendly's."_ She smiled, again wishing she could tell her mom what was going on.

Again, there was a knock, and then it ceased. "Hmm... that's strange," Callie mused, as she went to the door. As she opened it, she noticed that there was a small white box by the door. She picked it up, and read the note attached to it. "Frank's cake. From Joey."

"Joey?!" Callie said out loud. "Since when does Joe call himself that?"

Still, she went to the kitchen and opened the box, noting white cake with the words "happy birthday" written on top. "That's nice," Callie said softly, recalling that Joe and Vanessa had forgotten the cake last night. Still, she noticed right away that it was carrot cake, and looked at it strangely.

"Frank HATES carrot cake," she said out loud. "That's weird." Still, she had to smile. Carrot cake happened to be her favorite cake in the world, which was perfect. When she and Frank got dessert, he's always chow down on dark chocolate cake or ice cream, and she'd have the carrot cake, which always allowed them more than enough room to eat!

"Oh, well. I guess he made a mistake," Callie mused.

There was another knock on the door, and this time, when Callie got to it, she noticed another white box. It had the same note. "Frank's cake. From Joey."

When Callie brought it back to the kitchen, she opened the cake and saw that it was death by chocolate. Smiling, she said, "Well, Frank will be happy."

Dialing Joe's number she looked at the carrot cake longingly. He was very generous, and must have sent the carrot cake so she could enjoy dessert as well. Somehow, the bakery must have inadvertently written "Happy Birthday" on both, unsure of which one was the REAL cake.

"Hello?"

"Vanessa?"

"Hey, Cal! How ya doin' girl?" Vanessa asked cheerfully.

"I'm fine, thanks. Is Joe there?"

"No, he just ran out to pick up something to eat. We're going to hole up here and get some studying done."

"Yeah, right. I've heard about your _study_ sessions!" Callie teased.

"I AM going to study! I have a big test coming up and I want to ace it," Vanessa replied, defensively.

"Sure you are." Called laughed. She could almost hear Vanessa blushing.

"Just tell Joe I called. About the cake."

"Ok, I'll tell him. And Cal….we really ARE going to study tonight." Vanessa said forcefully.

"Whatever you say, Van," Callie laughed, hanging up the phone, feeling thankful once again that Joe had made such amazing progress in his recovery. Initially the doctors weren't even sure he'd be able to return to school this semester, let alone live in the dorms on his own.

Returning her attention to the cakes, Callie slid the chocolate one in the refrigerator, but decided to have some of the carrot cake while she straightened up and waited for Frank.

"Mmm… delicious- good taste, Joe," she said out loud.

Normally not a big junk food eater, Callie finished a second piece of cake, blaming it on her pregnancy with a guilty smile, and then she heard the doorknob turn.

Frank was home…

And he looked ready to talk.


	8. Chapter 8

**Note** : _Thank you to those reading and following, and especially those who have taken the time to review: max2013, Paulina Ann, and EvergreenDreamweaver. We always enjoy hearing feedback and receiving comments back on the chapters._

 _Consequences_

Chapter 8

"Hi." Callie smiled up at Frank, almost shyly. Standing on tip-toe, she kissed him softly.

"Hi," Frank replied as she pulled back.

Taking Callie's hand, Frank led her to the couch, sitting down and guiding her to a seat next to him. Everything was going to come out tonight…everything. This had been put off long enough. Taking a deep breath, Frank stared into Callie's deep brown eyes.

"I know I've asked you this before – Joe, too – but I need to ask one more time, okay?" Frank said, holding tightly to her hands. ' _One last chance. Please, God, let her tell me the truth. If they would just tell me the truth, I could forgive them…'_

"Okay," Callie replied, confused.

"Have you told me everything that happened last summer? Absolutely _everything_?" he asked, his voice shaking slightly.

Callie stiffened. Did Frank know about the kiss? But how could he? She hadn't told him and Joe…Joe couldn't even remember it.

Silence hung in the air for a moment and Frank prayed harder than he ever had in his life that she would tell him. About the kiss. The video. Everything. No matter how hard it would be for her to say it, no matter how painful it would be for him to hear her admit she had slept with his brother.

' _I can forgive you, Callie. I really can. Just please tell me the truth.'_

Callie stared at him, torn. She wanted desperately to tell him. They had never kept secrets from each other – ever. But she had made a promise to Joe. And she had never broken a promise to anyone.

' _It's not like we're going to keep it from him indefinitely. We'll tell him. As soon as Joe remembers…but what if he doesn't remember? Ever? I can't keep this secret forever.'_

Callie had just about decided to come clean with Frank, hoping Joe would understand, when suddenly Joe's face flashed through her mind. She could hear his voice pleading with her to keep his secret. She could see the fear in his eyes. ' _I can't. I gave him my word.'_ Taking a deep breath, she looked Frank in the eyes, praying she wasn't about to make the biggest mistake of her life.

"Yes, Frank. We've told you everything. What makes you think we're keeping something from you?" she asked, hoping the guilt didn't show in her eyes.

Slowly, he released her hand, and pulled away, crushed. It was over. He'd given her one last chance and she couldn't do it. How could they possibly start a life together if he couldn't trust her? How could they bring a child into the world…

' _A child that might not even be mine. A child that could be my brother's…'_

Suddenly the weight of it all became too much for Frank. The lies, the betrayals. He had been there for Joe last summer, he'd been there for Callie, for both of them. Never wavering in his support during an extremely difficult time. Maybe he hadn't always been able to hide his feelings from them, but whenever they needed him, he was always there. And, in return, when all he wanted was the truth, he got nothing but lies. Something inside him snapped. His blood ran cold and Frank decided that tonight, one way or another, he was going to get the truth.

"Liar," he whispered, unable to keep the venom out of his voice.

"What?" Callie asked, certain she had misheard him.

"Liar," Frank repeated, louder this time, looking her in the eyes, making no attempt to hide his anger.

"Frank, I don't understand," Callie said, tears in her eyes. "I've been as honest as I can with you!"

"Liar!" Frank cried out. He suddenly felt as if he were standing outside his own body, watching the confrontation between himself and Callie, but not really participating. "I know _everything_ , Callie! _I KNOW_!"

Callie felt as if she were going around in circles. This had to be about more than just the kiss. She had no idea what Frank was talking about, yet whatever it was had him extremely upset. She couldn't recall ever seeing him so distraught in the entire time they had been together.

"I KNOW about you and Joe!" Frank cried out, his heart breaking.

"Me and Joe? What about me and Joe?" Callie asked, utterly confused. ' _Maybe I should call Joe.'_ Callie thought, watching Frank fall to pieces before her eyes. ' _I've never seen him like this before.'_

"My, God, how stupid do you think I am?!" Frank could feel himself losing all control. "I know about the _kiss,_ Callie. The kiss you and Joe never wanted me to find out about."

Callie stared at him speechless and in shock. How could he possibly have found out? No one else knew about it! No one except Nash and Jenkins…

"And I watched the video, Callie! I know what you and Joe did." Frank almost choked on the words. "I saw it with my own eyes!"

Callie gasped out loud and recoiled as if she had been hit. Frank had promised to throw the DVD in the trash the second he got it!

"You slept with my brother!" Tears were now streaming down his face and Frank made no effort to hide them. "The two people I trusted most in the world. How many times did it happen? Once? Twice? Have you been sleeping with him all along? Only a cheap whore would sleep with two brothers at the same time!"

Callie gaped at him, speechless. Everything was so surreal. Frank couldn't possibly be accusing her of sleeping with… _Joe_?!

' _He's sick. He must be,_ she thought, trying to come up with something, anything, to rationalize Frank's behavior. She refused to accept that he could turn on her like this. ' _It's the stress. It has to be. Everything that happened last summer…he came so close to losing Joe forever. He just…he finally cracked. I know he doesn't mean it.'_

"Tell me, Callie," Frank began, his voice now shaking with anger. "Do you have any idea whether I'm going to be a father…or an uncle?"

Something inside Callie finally snapped. "How _dare_ you! How dare you talk to me like that! Accuse me of…of…" Grabbing her purse, Callie headed for the door. She had a feeling if she didn't leave immediately, one of them would do something, say something that would cause so much damage their relationship could never be repaired, if it wasn't already irreparably damaged.

"Go ahead!" she heard Frank screaming after her. "Run to Joe! And don't come back!"

Callie flew out of the apartment, down the steps and out the front door of the building. And she ran. For blocks and blocks, her legs pumping and her heart pounding, tears streaming down her face. She was aware of people watching, staring at her, but she didn't care. She had to get away. Far away.

Minutes later, gasping for breath, she slowed down and finally stopped, panting for breath. Looking up she saw she was at the top of the man-made steps that led down to the beach. Standing, looking out at the calm blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean, Frank's words echoed in her head.

 _"…cheap whore…you slept with my brother…how many times…am I going to be a father or an uncle…"_

Callie felt sick to her stomach as Frank's degrading accusations played themselves out over and over again. With a clarity she hadn't had before, Callie realized Frank's odd behavior over the past several months now made perfect sense. It certainly explained his strange treatment of Joe all these months. And her, too. If he honestly thought she and Joe were having an affair…were sleeping together…. For one brief moment, she actually felt sorry for Frank, trying to grasp how painful it must have been for him if he actually believed that. But her sympathy quickly turned to anger. Why hadn't he just come right out and asked her? Or Joe?

As Callie stood trying to decide where to go, she felt a sharp pain in her abdomen and clutched at her stomach. Leaving almost as quickly as it came, Callie decided it must be due to the stress.

' _Calm down. Relax. This isn't good for the baby,"_ Callie told herself, taking slow deep breaths. ' _Vanessa… I can go see Van and…'_

Another pain, sharper and more penetrating than the first.

' _No!'_ Callie thought, now cradling her stomach with both hands. ' _No, not my baby!'_

A third pain followed and then a fourth. They were coming faster now, deeper, and more agonizing. Doubled over and gasping for breath, Callie's vision blurred with tears as she groped for the railing. Reaching out with one hand Callie tried to steady herself. Without warning another pain ripped through her, this one so intense she blacked out, tumbling down the steps to land in the soft sand at the bottom of the staircase.

Immediately an elderly couple that had been walking along the beach rushed to her side. The older woman knelt in the sand, concerned, taking Callie's hand in hers as her husband called for an ambulance.

"Don't worry, honey," the woman said gently, hoping Callie might be able to hear her somehow. "Help is on the way."


	9. Chapter 9

**Note** : _Thanks to all those reading and following and those kind enough to leave reviews: Tin Dog, Paulina Ann, Max 2013, and Evergreen Dreamweaver. We hope you all continue to enjoy the story._

Consequences

Chapter 9

Joe sat on the bed in his dorm room, one arm lazily wrapped around Vanessa, the other holding a textbook. Glancing at his girlfriend, he smiled in amusement. She, too, was studying, apparently more intently than he was, judging by the way she was chewing on her lower lip and the frown that creased her forehead. Gently closing his book, Joe gazed at her, feeling more content than he had since…before Cape May. Apparently, Frank had worked out whatever was bothering him. Last night at his birthday party, he was finally acting like himself again for the first time since…before Cape May.

Several minutes passed before Vanessa realized she was being watched. Slowly, she turned her head and gazed up at Joe through her long lashes. Wordlessly, he leaned down and kissed her deeply at the same time taking the book out of her hands and tossing it on the floor. Several minutes later Vanessa pulled back, her heart pounding.

"What was that for?" she asked, breathlessly.

"Are you complaining?" Joe asked, leaning in for another kiss.

"No." She gently nudged him back. "But we're supposed to be studying."

"I am studying. I'm studying you," Joe replied, attempting to kiss her again.

"Uh-uh," Vanessa giggled, wriggling out from under him. "This is why I don't like coming over here to study. We never get any… _studying_ …done!"

"Oh, come on, Baby…" Joe whined.

"Nope. You stay over there and I'll stay…over here," Vanessa announced, taking a seat at Joe's desk, knowing if she remained on the bed snuggling close to him, he would win her over in short order.

Bending down, she retrieved the book Joe had thrown on the floor, accidentally knocking a piece of paper off the desk.

"Oh, honey, I forgot to tell you. Callie called earlier. Something about cake?" She held up the paper looking at him sheepishly.

"Cake? Oh, she probably just wants to rub it in again, about how I forgot to buy Frank a birthday cake. Might as well let her have some fun at my expense," Joe laughed reaching for the phone.

Pressing the speed dial, the phone rang only once before Frank pounced on it.

"What?!" Frank said irritably, foregoing any kind of greeting.

"Well, hello to you too, big brother," Joe said, wondering what had Frank in such an uncharacteristically bad mood. "Is my future sister-in-law there?"

Joe was met with silence.

"Frank? Hello?"

"No," came the curt reply.

"Uh, Frank, are you okay? You sound…upset," Joe asked, concerned.

"Yeah, you could say I'm upset," Frank replied evenly.

"Okay…. Anything you want to talk about?"

"No!" Frank replied quickly.

"Come on Frank, what's wrong? Did you and Callie have a fight or something?" Joe asked, his concern starting to grow. Frank's tone of voice told him something was very wrong.

Once again Joe was greeted with silence.

"Frank, I'm coming over. Now," Joe said with determination.

"No!" Frank cried out. Joe was the last person on earth he wanted to see right now.

"Uh-uh. Sorry big brother. I'm on my way," Joe said, hanging up the phone.

Standing up he reached for his keys. "Sorry, Babe. I have to go see Frank. Something is wrong and he's not talking. At least not on the phone. I think he and Callie may have had a fight, if you can believe that."

"What's so hard to believe about that?" Vanessa rolled her eyes. "The way he's been treating her lately…" She stopped when Joe looked at her sharply. "Ok, ok. I'll back off. But he has been treating you and Callie pretty crappy lately. With no apparent reason."

"He must have his reasons. They're just not apparent to us. But I intend to find out once and for all what they are. Don't worry, I'll get everything straightened out tonight," Joe said kissing her forehead. "Why don't you stay here and finish studying?" he suggested with a sly grin. "I'll be back soon…and then we can study _my way_."

Vanessa blushed, as she watched him walk out the door, already anticipating his return.

Less than an hour later Joe was standing at the door of his brother's apartment, knocking. He heard Frank moving around inside, but it seemed to take forever before he finally opened the door. Standing there, he stared at Joe.

"Well…are you going to let me in?" Joe asked, slightly unnerved at the way Frank was looking at him.

Wordlessly, Frank stepped aside and let Joe enter, quietly shutting the door behind him. Sensing something was drastically wrong, Joe sat on the couch waiting for his brother to turn around and acknowledge him.

"Frank?"

Frank continued to stare at the closed door. Joe peered at him closely. ' _He's shaking! No…must be my imagination.'_

"So are you going to talk to me or do I get to stare at your back all night?" Joe asked.

Slowly, Frank turned around to face his younger brother and Joe shuddered. If he didn't know better he would swear Frank was looking at him with…hatred?

"You and Callie have a fight?" Joe prodded, feeling very uncomfortable with the way Frank's gaze never wavered.

"You could say that," Frank replied evenly.

"Wanna talk about it?" Joe offered.

Frank continued staring at his brother. ' _Why not…might as well get everything out in the open tonight. Then they can run off together. Live happily ever after,'_ Frank thought, his anger quickly rising once again.

"Frank? Man, could you stop looking at me like that? You're scaring me!" Joe said only half-jokingly. "So what happened? What did you guys fight about?"

"You," Frank said without emotion, waiting for Joe's reaction.

"Huh? What do you mean _ME_?!" Joe asked, stunned.

"What's the matter? Still having after effects of that concussion? Can't you understand English? You. We fought about you. YOU and your relationship with my fiancée!" Frank replied sarcastically, his voice rising a notch.

"Whoa, back up there. What relationship? I mean you know I love Callie like…" Joe began.

"A-HA! You admit it! You're in love with her!" Frank pounced.

"What?!" Joe cried out. "What are you talking about? Are you sick? Do you have a fever or something?"

"No, I'm not sick. I don't have a fever. In fact for the first time in months… _since before Cape May_ …I'm thinking very clearly," Frank said, stabbing his finger in the air after each word for emphasis.

Joe gasped out loud. '… _since before Cape May…'_

The words struck fear in his heart. Everything that had been going on lately - Frank's distance, Callie's melancholy and her secrets, Vanessa's intense mistrust of Frank – they all started after Cape May. Taking a deep breath, Joe tried to calm his racing heart. If only he could remember what really happened.

"Are you, or are you not, in love with Callie?" Frank demanded, as if he were interrogating a criminal.

Joe stared at his brother, unable to speak. _'Where the hell did that come from?!'_

"Answer me! Are you?!" Frank yelled.

"NO! How could you even think that?!" Joe cried out, thinking the stress of the past few months had finally gotten to his brother and he had lost his mind.

"Because she's in love with _you_!"

"What?" Joe's face was white as a sheet. "She said that?"

"She didn't have to say it, Joe. It's been pretty obvious. Any idiot can see it. And the way you've been treating her this summer, it's obviously a mutual feeling."

"Then you're the only idiot here, Frank!" Joe yelled back. Frank's accusation had lit his fuse and it was burning quickly. "Nobody else sees it - because there is nothing to see! I am in love with Vanessa. And Callie is in love with you!"

"And that's why she kissed you? Because she's in love with _me_?" Frank cried out in anguish.

"She…told you?" Joe said, taken aback. Callie had promised him she wouldn't tell Frank! At least not until Joe could remember what happened. They were going to tell Frank about the kiss together, as soon as Joe remembered it. They had agreed on that.

"No, Joe," Frank replied, his voice suddenly calm. Deadly calm. "You did."

Joe stared at his brother, scared and confused. The doctor had assured Joe that his memory would return in a month or two. The fact that over three months later he still couldn't remember what had happened when he and Callie had been held hostage had Joe terrified. He was deathly afraid there had been some permanent damage and he would never remember.

Joe was also afraid that the memory loss was not only permanent, but also continued to plague him even now. He constantly felt like there were things that had happened since the concussion - things that happened every day - which he was forgetting. Still unable to decide if he wanted to face such a truth, he never shared these fears with anyone. His family and friends assumed Joe had gotten his memory back, just as the doctor predicted, and simply didn't want to discuss the horror he had been through.

 _'Oh, God!_ _Did_ _I tell Frank about the kiss? I can't remember!'_ Joe thought, panicked. Was his worst fear now a reality?

Frank saw the fear and confusion on Joe's face and realized Joe was racking his brain trying to remember if he had indeed told Frank about the kiss and simply didn't recall doing so. Automatically, the over-protective instincts he always had for Joe kicked in and took control.

"No, you didn't actually tell me about it," Frank reassured him. "I overheard you ask her about it that day in the hospital. When you first woke up."

Frank could see Joe desperately trying to dig up the memories from that day, knowing it might be impossible. Joe had been so drugged up on painkillers, Frank was surprised he could remember anything at all from those first few days in the hospital.

"You asked her if she kissed you. Obviously you remembered something about it or you wouldn't have asked," Frank deduced incorrectly. "And when you didn't remember everything, she was…" Frank stopped, emotions threatening to overwhelm him again. "…heartbroken. Devastated. If she didn't love you, Joe, why would she even care whether or not you remembered?"

"Why would she care? Gee, I don't know, Frank. Maybe she was concerned about me! Concerned because I couldn't remember! Concerned because there might be permanent damage! Concerned that I might have this problem for the rest of my life! Did you even bother to consider that possibility?!" Joe cried out, finally voicing his biggest fear, albeit transferring it to Callie rather than admitting to it himself.

Frank was stopped cold. _'Permanent damage?'_ While he had never thought about it consciously, he realized it made a certain amount of sense. Callie had been distraught, consumed with guilt, feeling she was solely responsible for Joe being hurt. So of course she would be upset, heartbroken - devastated even - if she thought Joe had been permanently injured in any way while trying to protect her.

 _'No!'_ Frank pushed the thought to the back of his mind. _'No, Joe has recovered. Completely. Just like the doctors said he would. She was upset because she really is in love with him.'_

Somewhere deep in his soul Frank knew the problems Joe was having with his memory were worse than he was letting on and could be permanent. The thought terrified him, so he refused to even acknowledge the possibility. That left him with only one alternative - Callie was devastated because she really was in love with Joe and he either couldn't remember his feelings for her or he had never returned the love to begin with. Either way, Frank had to know for sure.

"No. I never considered that possibility," Frank finally replied coldly. It hurt much less to believe that Joe and Callie had betrayed him than it did to think his brother had some kind of permanent brain damage. "You want to know why?" Frank continued, ignoring the stricken look on Joe's face. "Because it wasn't just the kiss, Joe. It was everything else. When Callie woke up that morning, you were holding her in your arms. Her shirt had been torn. Hell, you weren't even wearing your shirt! You took it off! Why? It was cold out in the woods, Joe. Why would you have taken your shirt off if you and Callie didn't…."

"We were drugged!" Joe yelled, repeating what Callie had told him about that night. "Nash and Jenkins set us up!" _'God, why can't I remember anything?!'_

"Drugged. How convenient," Frank snorted. "However, that doesn't explain why she was holding your hand. Stroking your face. Comforting you." Frank's voice shook as the image he so badly wanted to forget, the image that haunted him constantly, resurfaced to taunt him once more. Callie gently taking Joe's hand, tenderly stroking his face and hair, speaking to him in that low, soothing voice that used to be for Frank alone. "How do you explain that, Joe?" he whispered.

Suddenly Joe felt tears burning his eyes as those first few days after he had regained consciousness came rushing back to him. The pain had been excruciating and unbearable. The painkillers he'd been given didn't even scratch the surface. Yet he never told anyone. Not Vanessa. Not Callie. Not even Frank. Joe had been so grateful when they visited him; grateful for the distraction. Still, he couldn't believe Frank hadn't seen it, hadn't at least suspected how badly he was hurting.

"I was in pain, Frank. Constant pain. Horrible pain. Unlike you, Callie saw that! She was just trying to help. Help me forget it, just for a few seconds," Joe said, hurt and betrayed. He couldn't believe how remembering still shook him up so much.

Frank swallowed hard. Yes, he remembered. He remembered vividly. Frank had prayed that Joe would wake up so he could see for himself that his little brother was going to be ok. But when it happened, when Joe finally regained consciousness it was devastating. Never in his life had Frank seen Joe in so much pain. Pain so bad Joe couldn't possibly hide it no matter how hard he tried. Yes, Frank had seen it…and he had seen Callie hovering over Joe, not wanting to leave his side.

 _"It's my fault, Frank! I need to be there for him!"_ Callie had said. At the time Frank had been grateful, but knowing what he did now he couldn't believe he didn't see it. The real reason she 'needed' to spend every waking moment with Joe.

"But eventually the pain got better, didn't it, Joe? Yet she never stopped comforting you, did she?" The visions of those first few days after they had returned to Bayport assaulted him. Callie snuggled in Joe's arms on the couch; _"I love ya, Cal."_ Joe's voice tormented him. _"Don't tell Frank and Vanessa.";_ Joe lying in the hammock in the backyard while Callie gently removed his sunglasses and tenderly held his hand; Joe blowing her a kiss. "How could you, Joe? How could you betray me? How could you betray Vanessa?"

Joe's eyes were huge. "I didn't! I would never betray Vanessa - or you! How can you even think that?!"

"Yeah, right." Frank said, derisively. "You cheated on Iola every chance you got. Old habits die hard, huh, little brother?" Frank lashed out at him. "Stop denying it, Joe. I watched the video, okay? I saw it for myself. I know you and Callie slept together!"

"What?! Callie and I NEVER… We wouldn't!" Joe was reeling. He couldn't believe the brother he had worshipped all his life had suddenly turned on him and was deliberately trying to hurt him. Hurt him so badly they'd never be able to repair the damage. "You said you wouldn't watch the video, Frank! You gave us your word!"

"And you gave me your word that you told me everything!" Frank raged. "You lied, Joe! You didn't tell me about the kiss! You never planned to tell me! God knows what else you've been lying to me about! How many times did you and Callie sleep together that I'll never know about?!" Suddenly Frank was out of control. Grabbing Joe's shirt, Frank pulled his brother towards him until their faces were just inches apart. "At least have the guts to tell me the truth now, Joe! That was you and Callie on the video, wasn't it?" Joe stared at his brother, completely shocked. "Wasn't it?!"

"NO!" Joe finally cried out. "No, it wasn't us, Frank!"

"How would you know?" Frank spat out in disgust. "You're lucky you can even remember your own name, these days."

Frank released Joe with a shove and watched his brother stumble backwards. Seeing the anguish, the pain, the utter betrayal on Joe's face, Frank suddenly realized what he had said - about Iola and about Joe's memory. He'd never felt such overwhelming shame in his life. Joe's face was a stark white and his lower lip started to quiver. Quickly Joe turned to flee the room - his heart shattered and his soul ripped to pieces.

"Joe…wait!" Frank choked out. He grabbed for Joe's arm and held it in a death grip.

"Let go!" Joe said, pulling away. "Just leave me alone!" Frank could hear the tears in his voice.

"No." Frank pulled harder. "Please Joe…"

Suddenly Joe turned to face Frank, his eyes reflecting such grief and heartache, Frank would give everything had to be able to take those words back.

"Let…me…go!" Joe said in a very low voice, through gritted teeth. Just as he gave one final pull to escape the grip Frank had on his arm, Frank released him and watched, horrified. He felt like everything was happening in slow motion as he saw Joe stumble, lose his balance and fall to the floor. He heard a sickening crack as Joe's head hit the corner of the table and then bounced off the floor once before Joe lay motionless at his feet.

"No. Oh, no," Frank stared wide-eyed. Dropping to his knees, Frank gently shook Joe's shoulder. "Joe, can you hear me? Come on, talk to me, Joe. Please…"

Joe's head moved slightly when Frank shook him and that's when Frank saw it. The tell tale pool of blood on the floor beneath Joe's head. Frank watched as it grew larger, tears streaming down his face. Joe had originally come here to try to comfort Frank, offer emotional support. Joe couldn't stand to see his brother hurting like that and wanted to do anything he could to help. And that was how it had started out, but then Frank had turned on him, viciously. Overcome with guilt and shame, Frank stared at Joe, unconscious on the floor.

"Oh, God, what have I done?"


	10. Chapter 10

**Note:** _Many thanks to those reading and following the story. Special thanks to those of you who were so kind as to leave reviews on the last chapter: AccidentallySocial, TinDog (amazing feedback- thank you), EvergreenDreamweaver, Penlew, Paulina Ann, Caranath, and max2013. You're all very much appreciated!_

Consequences

Chapter 10

Frank sat in the waiting room alone, his head in his hands. He replayed the past few hours over and over again in his mind, each time hoping the outcome would be different; hoping he would wake up to find it was a dream. He had never lost his temper like that before – not with Joe.

"Joe," he whispered. "Please God, let him be alright."

Frank had tried to revive Joe on his own, hoping it would be like the countless other times Joe had been knocked out, when he would come to within a few seconds. But it hadn't been like all the other times, and he hadn't been able to stop the bleeding. Frank had called 911 and hovered closely as the EMT's also tried to revive Joe with no success.

Frank didn't need a medical degree to know it was serious. How would he tell his parents? Vanessa? He was the older brother. He was supposed to protect Joe, not hurt him!

"Frank! What happened? Is Joe alright?" Laura Hardy came rushing into the waiting room with Vanessa on her heels and Fenton Hardy two steps behind her.

Startled, Frank looked up. Seeing the utter devastation on his face and the grief in his deep brown eyes, Vanessa automatically assumed the worst.

"Oh, God…Oh, no…" She choked out, her right hand flew up to her mouth as if to stifle a scream. "Is he…" Tears sprang from her eyes, and she began sobbing, unable to finish the sentence.

Laura and Fenton Hardy stood open-mouthed, staring at their oldest son, grief stricken.

"No!" Frank said, suddenly realizing they thought Joe was dead. "Oh, God, you thought…No! No, he's not…dead!"

Fenton Hardy visibly exhaled and led his still trembling wife to a seat. Frank put an arm around Vanessa and guided her to the hard plastic chairs along the wall. Once they were all seated, Vanessa fixed her blue-grey eyes on Frank.

"What happened, Frank? He was fine when he left to see you. I mean he was upset that you were upset but other than that…" her voice trailed off.

Frank looked from Vanessa, to his father, to his mother – and gasped inwardly, struck by the fear in his mother's eyes. They looked just like Joe's did when Frank had mentioned the kiss that Joe couldn't remember.

"Frank." His father prodded him. "What happened to Joe? Is he seriously hurt?" Fenton asked with concern.

"He…he fell," Frank replied, suddenly finding great interest in something on the floor, unable to look his parents in the eyes. They had always counted on Frank – depended on him – to look out for Joe. How could he find the words to tell them that he was the reason Joe had been hurt?

"Fell? How? What was he doing?" Laura asked. "He knows he's not supposed to be doing anything strenuous yet! He's still recovering!" Laura cried out, fresh tears springing to her eyes. "I knew it was too soon for him to move back to the dorms!"

"Frank. How did he fall?" Fenton asked calmly, all his senses on high alert. His instincts told him Joe hadn't simply fallen. Frank's reaction, his inability to look anyone in the eye, made Fenton realize Frank somehow had played a direct part in Joe's being injured.

"He…I…we.." Frank continued staring at the floor, tripping over every word. "We argued…and…" Frank finally looked up at his father, his eyes begging for forgiveness. "God, Dad, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean it! I didn't mean any of it!"

Fenton swallowed hard, hating that he had been right. "I'm sure whatever happened was unintentional, Frank. An accident. You would never knowingly hurt Joe," he said, hoping and praying he was right.

He had never mentioned it, but Fenton Hardy had been acutely aware of Frank's change in attitude towards his younger brother ever since they had returned from Cape May last summer. More than once he had wanted to intervene on Joe's behalf, seeing how coldly Frank sometimes treated him for no apparent reason, but he stopped himself. He told himself that whatever was going on between the two of them would have to be worked out privately. He now realized he had been very, very wrong.

"But…I did. The things I said…horrible, awful things. Just to hurt him," Frank replied, his voice filled with guilt. "He…he tried to leave. To run out of the apartment, but I wouldn't let him. I grabbed his arm. I realized what I had said. Dad, I was just trying to apologize to him, but he wouldn't listen! He pulled away just as I let go and…fell." Frank stopped and inhaled sharply, the sound of Joe's head hitting the table and then the floor echoed like a gunshot in his mind. "He hit his head," Frank said softly.

"No," Frank heard his mother's whispering voice. "No, not again."

"I'm sorry, Mom.," Frank said, tears running down his face. "I'm…so…sorry."

"It's not your fault, Baby," Laura said, pulling Frank into her arms, hoping to comfort at least one of her children. "You'd never purposely hurt him."

' _God if they only knew! If they only knew how much I hurt him. How much I wanted to hurt him. How much I've_ _ **been**_ _hurting him…'_ Frank thought, holding tightly to his mother.

"Excuse me…Mr. and Mrs. Hardy?"

Frank pulled away, wiping his eyes as Laura and Fenton looked up. A distinguished looking gentleman, about ten years older than Fenton, extended his hand to Fenton.

"I'm Dr. Stanley Garmon. Head of Emergency Services. I've been treating your son, Joe," Fenton stood, shaking the man's hand, his other arm supporting his wife.

"How is he?" Laura asked fearfully.

"Well, all the tests show nothing more than a concussion. There is no evidence of skull fracture and his EEG is normal. He has a small laceration on the back of his head that required a few stitches. However, he still hasn't regained consciousness," the doctor replied, a note of concern evident in his voice. "I had honestly expected him to be awake by now.

Frank told me about the injuries Joe sustained earlier this summer which included a very severe concussion." The doctor looked for confirmation from Frank, who nodded in return. "Effects of concussion are cumulative. They build on one another. For now, based on the severity of his earlier head injury, I'm going to assume that is the reason he hasn't regained consciousness yet. We honestly can't find any other reason. I would like to admit him for observation. Hopefully, he'll wake up in the next few hours. If not I'd like to call in a specialist and find out why."

"Of course," Fenton readily agreed.

"Can we see him now?" Laura asked, her eyes pleading with the doctor to say yes.

Dr. Garmon hesitated a moment. "He's still in the E.R. right now, while we are arranging to have him admitted. You can go see him if you like," he nodded at Laura and Fenton. "But I'm afraid you'll have to wait until he's in a room," he told Frank and Vanessa. "It shouldn't be too long."

"Thank you," Vanessa said in a small voice. She watched as Fenton and Laura followed Dr. Garmon out of the waiting room. She slowly walked over to the window and gazed out but saw nothing…haunted by visions of Joe lying in a hospital bed, surrounded by machines, covered in bandages, with tubes, wires and IV's everywhere.

"Vanessa?" She heard Frank's voice, felt him standing behind her. "I'm so sor-" Vanessa whirled around, slapping Frank across the face so hard he reeled back a few steps.

Even though she knew she had lashed out in anger, Vanessa wasn't the least bit sorry. "I should have done that a long time ago." She hissed at him.

Frank stared at her, only slightly taken aback. He deserved it and almost felt relief at the pain, as if he needed to be paid back for hurting his brother so badly.

"How DARE you!" Vanessa said angrily, attempting to keep her voice down. "Joe loves you. He _worships_ you, though God knows WHY after the way you've been treating him!"

"I know," Frank whispered, miserably.

"Shut up!" Vanessa glared at him. "I'm not done yet!" Frank stared at her silently, knowing he deserved whatever was coming and more.

"My God, Frank he came to see you tonight because he was worried about you! Concerned about you! He wanted to help you! He didn't care that you've been treating him like dirt ever since we got back from Cape May. He just wanted his big brother back."

"What is wrong with you?!" Vanessa continued, trembling slightly from the anger she had kept bottled up inside for so long and was just now getting a chance to release. "He never did anything that could possibly justify your behavior! He is the sweetest, most kind-hearted person I have ever known. Do you know he was ready to apologize to you? To beg you to forgive him and _he didn't even know why!_ It didn't matter to him, Frank! He loves you so much and wanted you back in his life so badly he was ready to do anything to make that happen! What did he do that was so horrible that you could turn on him like that?"

Frank looked at her wondering how in the world he could even begin to tell her.

"Don't think you're getting out of here without telling me. This has gone on far too long. You are not leaving until you tell me exactly what Joe did that warrants this kind of treatment." Vanessa was no longer ranting; however her voice held a note of …hatred…that Frank had never thought she was capable of.

"He…he…" Frank felt sick to his stomach. He had never said it out loud until tonight when he had hurled the accusations at both Joe and Callie.

"He what?" Vanessa demanded impatiently.

"He slept with Callie," Frank said hoarsely, bile rising in his throat.

"He… _WHAT_?!" Vanessa stared at him, incredulous.

"He…they…they've _been_ sleeping together." There. It was out. Now Vanessa knew about it too. Or had she known all along and simply chose to ignore it? He'd heard of women doing that, wanting to remain blissfully ignorant when their boyfriends or husbands were cheating on them.

"Oh, now I KNOW you have lost your mind. Joe and Callie? Sleeping together?!" Vanessa stared at him, open-mouthed. "Honey, you need to be admitted to the psychiatric floor for evaluation."

"This is not funny, Vanessa!" Frank yelled.

"You're damn right it's not. And it is NOT true! Whatever possessed you to think this could have happened…even once?"

"The…video…" Frank tried to explain.

"Was a fake," Vanessa said matter-of-factly.

"No," Frank told her, despairingly. "It wasn't."

"And you would know this how?" Vanessa challenged him.

"I watched it," he admitted, shame-faced.

"You WHAT?! After you promised them – you _swore_ – you would throw it out the second you got it? You're unbelievable!" Vanessa said, unable to hide the contempt in her voice. "So you watched the video and saw what? You saw their faces? Clearly saw their faces?"

Listening to Vanessa, whose faith in Joe was rock solid no matter what, Frank felt very small.

"Well…no, but - "

"But nothing, Frank. You have no absolute beyond-a-shadow-of-a-doubt-proof it was them in that video, do you? It was simply two people with blonde hair whose faces were never really seen, wasn't it?" Vanessa shook her head in disbelief. "What else? What other 'evidence' do you have that this alleged affair ever took place?"

"They've kissed. More than once," he replied, suddenly realizing how lame it sounded.

"You've gotta be kidding me," Vanessa rolled her eyes in disgust.

"I saw them, Van! A couple of times. Just last night in fact! I got home early. You weren't back yet. Joe was holding her in his arms. He kissed her," Frank said, despondent.

"He kissed her. Deeply? Passionately? On the lips? The way he kisses me?" Vanessa arched an eyebrow. "Or did he kiss her on the cheek? Or the forehead? Like he's done a zillion times before."

"On the forehead." Frank whispered, his stomach feeling queasy. He realized the case he had built against Joe and Callie was suddenly clouded with doubt.

"And he was holding her in his arms like he couldn't possibly get close enough to her? Or was he giving her a hug? A _brotherly_ hug?"

Frank stared at Vanessa, too ashamed to even speak.

"So he hugged her and kissed her forehead. Say, like – oh, I don't know – like you held me and kissed me when Joe was in the hospital and I was falling apart? Something like that?" Vanessa crossed her arms over her chest, gazing at him steadily.

"Yeah," Frank whispered. "Something like that."

"Ok, what else is there? So far, your evidence is all circumstantial. The kind that would never hold up in court. You do realize your case is falling apart before your eyes, don't you?" Vanessa said, deliberately speaking in a way Frank could easily relate to.

"I heard them talking. Overheard things."

"You mean you were eavesdropping on them, hearing bits and pieces of conversation, taken out of context,and immediately leaping to the wrong conclusions."

Frank squeezed his eyes shut on the verge of tears.

"Frank," Vanessa began, gently this time. "Callie and Joe did not sleep together. Ever. There was no affair. Nash planted a seed and you watered it until it grew so tall you couldn't control it anymore."

Frank hung his head in despair. "Oh, God, Van. I've completely destroyed the two most precious relationships in my life. I deliberately hurt the two people who I love more than anything in the world."

Vanessa gazed at Frank with sympathy and compassion, her anger quickly forgotten. He spent his whole life protecting Joe. He'd loved Callie almost from the moment they met. She couldn't even begin to imagine how devastated he must be feeling. Reaching out, she put her arms around him and hugged him tightly.

"You know there was one glaringly obvious reason why you should have known Joe wasn't sleeping with Callie," she told him.

Pulling back, he looked at her, deep sadness filling his eyes. "What's that?"

"I'm all the woman Joe will ever need. Believe me, I know how to keep him happy!" she said mischievously.

In spite of everything, Frank laughed. "I bet you do."

Frank felt both overwhelming relief and absolute shame. He knew the truth now; he had known it all along. Joe and Callie had never betrayed him and never would. Still, something about the whole situation troubled Frank, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"You know, I don't understand why Joe didn't just tell me nothing happened," he said to Vanessa, frowning.

"You asked him? Point blank?"

"Well, no. I mean I never said 'By the way Joe are you sleeping with Callie?' But he knew what I was getting at. I mean whenever I asked him if he had told me everything, he would start talking in circles. He never gave me a straight answer. He was always so evasive – like he was hiding something."

Vanessa's eyes went wide as she recalled the conversation she and Joe had on the drive home from Frank's party and everything suddenly clicked.

"Oh, Frank! You're right! He IS hiding something," she cried out, her heart breaking for Joe. "It all makes sense now! Oh, my God…Frank, I don't think he ever got his memory back!"

"Yes, he did. The doctors said he would. He's talked about what happened. He must have remembered."

"No, he hasn't! He _hasn't_ talked about it. Ever. He HAS repeated, word for word, things we've told him." She grabbed Frank's hand, as tears spilled down her cheeks. "Frank… he still can't remember - _**anything**_!"

Frank stared at her, speechless. That couldn't be! The doctors assured them Joe would make a full recovery. They said his memory would return in a month. Joe would have said something if it hadn't…wouldn't he?

"Excuse me, Frank Hardy?" a female voice asked.

Frank looked up to see the receptionist who had given him papers to fill out when Joe was brought in.

"Do you know a Callie Shaw?"

"Yes. She's my fiancée." Frank replied, assuming Callie had somehow found out Joe was in the hospital and came to see what had happened.

"And you are listed as her emergency contact, correct?"

Frank nodded, suddenly chilled to the bone.

"Wait right here please. One of the residents will be right out to speak with you."

' _Residents? They need to speak with me? About…_ _ **Callie**_ _?!'_

Frank felt the color drain from his face. He was vaguely aware of Vanessa squeezing his hand tightly.

' _Callie? Oh, God not Callie too.'_ Frank prayed. He didn't know how things could possibly get any worse, but the knot in his stomach told him his nightmare had just begun.


	11. Chapter 11

**Note** : _Thank you to EvergreenDreamweaver, Max2013, TinDog, and Caranath for the reviews on the last chapter. Thanks to everyone as well for the reviews on "Alternate Plans."_

Consequences

Chapter 11

For a moment, Frank stared at the doctor who had suddenly appeared in the waiting room, not fully comprehending the man's words. "Wh...what?" he managed to sputter. Vanessa sat next to him, equally shocked.

The doctor repeated himself. "You said your name is Frank Hardy. Your fiancée, Callie Shaw, has you listed on the card in her wallet as her emergency contact. If that's true, you should know that she's been admitted to the hospital and we need you to come and sign some emergency forms for her. Please follow me." The doctor concluded his sentence emphatically and waited for Frank to follow him.

Frank literally felt the color drain from his face and he stood up in utter confusion, Vanessa standing next to him, clutching his arm tightly. "But…but… I mean, there must be some mistake," He said, desperately. "My brother—HE'S the one who's in the hospital. Not Callie. Maybe she came to visit him?" He said this as more of a statement of fact than as an inquiry.

The doctor turned around patiently, and held his tongue. The two sets of eyes before him, one deep brown and the other a bluish-gray, were clouded over with such fear and confusion that he had to take a breath. Sometimes, it was easy in his profession to forget that all the patients he dealt with were living, breathing people, with families who loved them and cared for them. Seeing such apprehension made him realize that these two young people had absolutely no idea what was going on.

Deciding to take a moment and slow down, he waved Frank and Vanessa to follow him, and told them to have a seat on nearby chairs in a less populated, more private area of the waiting room. "Let's start again," he began. "You're Frank Hardy, and your brother is currently in the hospital recovering from a head injury. Is that correct?"

"Yes," Frank managed, swallowing hard. The world seemed to be swimming around him.

"And you're the …girlfriend…is that right, of Joseph Hardy?" He nodded in Vanessa's direction.

"That's true," Vanessa replied, now holding onto Frank's hand. "But what's the matter with Callie? Is she really here? Is she okay?"

The doctor waited a moment for them to focus before continuing. Looking into their startled faces, he said, slowly, "A short time ago, an emergency phone call was placed to the local police department and, subsequently, an ambulance was sent right away. Apparently, a young woman, who has since been identified as Ms. Shaw, had collapsed near the beach. An elderly couple found her at the bottom of a staircase leading to the boardwalk. Apparently, she was either the victim of a robbery or simply a bad fall. She's still unconscious, but she has been brought up to a room. I was planning to take you there after you filled out the paperwork. Despite having other numbers to call, we could not get in touch with her parents."

"They're out of town," Vanessa choked out.

"Is she…" Frank began to ask, and the doctor reached over and placed a hand gently on his arm.

"She's recovering…slowly. However…." He paused, unsure of how to say this.

Frank's eyes grew wide as he subconsciously realized what the doctor was going to say. Jumping up, he clenched his hands together in closed fists and choked out, "The baby? Is the baby okay?!" His voice held a note of desperation that broke Vanessa's heart, and she felt her own eyes fill with tears at the possibility.

"I'm sorry," the doctor replied, sincerely. "We couldn't save the baby."

As Vanessa gasped in horror, Frank felt like he had been punched in the stomach. All at once a thousand images flew through his mind. Callie. Oh, God- Callie. The baby! No…not that!

He raised a shaking hand over his face and tried to breathe, realizing and not realizing at the same time that he was suffering the first real panic attack of his life. Somewhere in the back of his ears, he thought he heard ringing in the distance. His heart was hammering in his chest; his palms were cold and sweaty. He saw Vanessa talking to him, the doctor's look of momentary shock. He thought he saw his parents… WERE those his parents?… down a long corridor. He was standing, he was sure of it. So why couldn't he stay still?

And then…. As reality froze for him…. He turned and did the one thing he had never done before in his life. He ran….

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Fenton Hardy saw his son in the distance and watched his reaction at hearing some sort of news. They had just come back from visiting Joe in his room, where they were praying that he would recover. Throwing a glance at his wife, he saw her nod and took off after Frank, stopping only a moment to grab Vanessa by the arm. Laura, he noticed, somehow was able to keep pace with him, and was only a few steps behind.

"Vanessa!" he cried, when he reached her. "What happened?! Where's Frank?!"

Vanessa stood stunned for a moment as the doctor tried to intervene. "He's suffered a major shock," the doctor said. "He needs a few moments to recover. Please follow him—make sure he's okay."

"Sh…shock?!" Laura repeated, feeling the onset of the emotion, herself. "Vanessa- what happened?" Laura implored, echoing her husband's question and, at the same time, trying to keep an eye on the general direction Frank had run to.

Trying to hold herself together. Vanessa wiped back tears and managed to sob, "It's...it's Callie, Mrs. Hardy. She's in the hospital, too."

"What?!" Fenton and Laura asked together.

"We'll be right back," Fenton said to Vanessa, not even bothering to ask her why Callie was here, too. That was a question that somehow only Frank would be able to answer for them. Fenton grabbed Laura's hand, knowing in his heart that she would keep up with him in their search to get to Frank as quickly as possible. When it came to protecting their children, she was every bit as fierce as he was. Both of their minds were whirling as they ran in the general direction of Frank. They finally saw him, right outside the hospital's main entrance, sitting on the ground with his face buried in his hands.

Not caring about getting dirty, or the oncoming cold, Fenton and Laura sat next to him on the ground. They paused only a moment and met each other's eyes with a look that clearly said, What now? What more do we have to go through?

Laura went to take Frank's hand, but he pulled it away savagely, as though he could no longer stand to feel human touch. Laura was stunned. Frank was not one to give into his emotions. Maybe tonight it had all become too unbearable for him. Maybe he was still blaming himself for not protecting Joe. Maybe… with a shudder, Laura realized that perhaps maybe they had all been putting too much pressure on him to hold everyone together. Looking at Fenton, she knew that he was thinking the same thing.

Trying to remain calm, but losing the battle, Fenton and Laura each took one of Frank's arms and helped him to stand up. Together, they struggled and guided him back into the lobby. Fenton bit his lip. Whatever was happening had Frank so disoriented he literally looked like he was losing his mind. It was a frightening sight.

However, it wasn't long before Frank calmed down and stopped crying. Fenton, looking at him, almost wished he had crying, given the alternative to what now sat before him. Frank was staring straight-ahead, his face a ghastly shade of white, his eyes glazed over. He looked almost catatonic, and Fenton recognized the symptoms of shock right away.

"Dear God," he muttered under his breath, "What the hell happened to him?!"

Fenton and Laura tried unsuccessfully for several minutes to get Frank to speak, to no avail. Finally, Fenton kneeled down in front of Frank's chair and reached for his son's shoulders, shaking him. "Frank! Frank! Come on, son! Come back!"

Then, as suddenly as it had started, it stopped. Frank threw his arms up, shoving his father's arms away from him. He stared directly at his parents' stunned faces, SEEING them, it appeared, for the first time.

"Honey?" Laura began hesitantly. "What's wrong? Let us help you. Come on, sweetheart. Talk to us. Please."

Then, to Fenton and Laura's utter amazement, Frank cracked a smile that soon became a small chuckle, and soon after that became full out laughter to the point of hysteria. Frank couldn't seem to catch his breath. Fenton and Laura looked at each other in panic as they watched their son begin to unravel in front of them and they stood, powerless to prevent it.

Frank stood up, turned around, and backed up, laughing all the way. Finally, he stopped moving and stood smiling at his parents.

"What's wrong?!" Frank repeated, still laughing. "Well, you wouldn't BELIEVE it if I told you."

Fenton reached out for Frank, but stopped himself. Okay, at least he's talking.

"Try us," Laura said through a shaky voice, following Fenton's lead.

"Okay—why not?!" Frank gesticulated his hands wildly in the air before holding up one hand. Holding up a finger, he said, crazily, "Well, first—see, Joe's in the hospital. Yeah, he might die- but whose fault is that? Mine!"

"No, no it's not…" Laura tried to interrupt, but Frank went on.

"Oh, but it IS, mom," he said, emphasizing the last word. "I pushed him—did you know that? Yup- right on the table."

Fenton and Laura stood frozen, trying to contemplate this news in shock and still hold onto Frank before they lost him completely.

"And you know WHY I pushed him, mom?"

"No—why?" Laura asked, weak and, for the first time in her life, afraid of her own son.

"Cause I thought he was sleeping with Callie." He said this statement so matter of factly that Fenton wasn't sure he heard right.

Shaking his head to clear it, Fenton managed, "What are you talking about?!"

"Come on, Dad," Frank laughed, so out of his mind that Fenton had literally no idea what to do. Dealing with criminals who were desperate was one thing; dealing with his own son on the edge was quite another.

"You know what I mean." He laughed, a mad look in his eyes. "An AFFAIR. CHEATING. I thought that, Dad – for months now. Thought Joe was cheating on Vanessa and Callie was cheating on me. So—I had to make them pay, see? Had to make them—you know—understand what hell was all about."

Fenton swallowed hard. He couldn't believe his own ears. That was okay. He barely had time to think as Frank went raving on.

"So now Joe's in the hospital, because of me. And so is Callie- did you know that, Dad? That Callie's here?" Frank voice finally started to shake, and his face slowly began to crumple.

"I heard," Fenton said, slowly and decisively, beginning to make his first real steps towards Frank. Ignoring the knowledge that he should take his time, he ran the last few feet to reach Frank and grabbed him as Frank slowly sank to the ground, shaking. Laura was right next to him.

"And… and do you know why Callie's here, Dad?" Frank's voice was thick with sobs, and Laura could hear just the faintest detection of a whimper in his voice, like he used to have when he was a child. Unlike Joe, who would cry and scream when he was in pain, Frank had only the softest whimper. Big boys don't cry, she once heard Frank tell his younger brother.

Oh, yes they do, sweetheart, Laura's heart said silently.

"Why?" Fenton asked, holding onto Frank like he hadn't since Frank was a child. Laura squeezed his hand tightly.

"Because we had a fight. And she…she…" Frank could barely make out the words.

"Go on, son," Fenton said, trying to steel himself for what he somehow knew would be a very big blow.

"She lost the baby, Dad. Callie was pregnant, and she lost our child. And it's my fault!"

Laura involuntarily pulled away for a moment, feeling the breath sucked out of her. "Oh my God," she whispered.

Frank pulled away from his father, still wiping back tears. He stood up, unable to meet his parents' eyes, and headed back into the hospital. He had to see Callie.

At that moment, a clown came through the doors of the hospital, bringing in balloons for the children's ward. Other clowns followed, bringing masks, crayons, and streamers.

"Hey, someone down here looks sad," one clown said, stopping by Fenton and Laura, who were staring in shock after Frank, unable to process everything at once. When they didn't respond, the clown shrugged and left them a balloon and a mask, hoping to spread his happiness around.

Weakly, Fenton looked at the mask. "I guess we all wear disguises sometimes," he whispered weakly to his wife, wrapping an arm around her.

They slowly headed back upstairs after Frank, leaving all the laughter behind. Somehow, their lives had turned into a circus…and they stood, center stage, waiting for the next obstacle to be thrown in their paths…knowing it was near the end of the show.


	12. Chapter 12

**Note:** _Thank you to TinDog, Paulina Ann, David Fishwick, EvergreenDreamweaver, max2013, and Caranath for your reviews on the last chapter. They really do make a difference!_

Consequences

Chapter 12

Frank stood watching, as Vanessa as went in to see Joe. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see his father speaking in low tones to his mother, and he watched as they tried to conceal their shock and horror about everything that had happened. It had been bad enough finding out that Joe was hurt. It had been even worse when he had admitted to them that it was his fault. Finally, the news about Callie had thrown them over the top. Hell, it had thrown HIM over the top. He honestly had no idea what to do.

Frank walked down to the lobby slowly, as if in a trance. This was all too much for him. For so long he had been the source of strength for so many people. His family, his friends, and Callie had always relied on him to be strong, to hold them up when things got tough. Now, however, it wasn't like that. In fact, it had taken a complete turn. He had let everyone down, most especially Joe and Callie. What had once seemed so horrifically real to him, the image of Joe and Callie together, now seemed just like a harsh and cruel joke. _Isn't that what it was?_ he had to ask himself.

And he had fallen for it—completely and totally. Nash and Jenkins HAD won. They had torn apart his beloved family, broken the bond between him and Joe, and destroyed the most important relationship in his life. It had taken Vanessa, who, although a dear and close friend, was not even part of the family… yet…. to make him see the error of his ways. He felt stupid, manipulated, and, above all, ashamed. How could he have let them do this to him?!

Yet, Frank was through blaming others. It was time for him to take personal responsibility for what he had done. Still, how could he? How could he live with the fact that he had hurt his own brother, had believed that Joe had betrayed him? How could he justify hurting Callie so deeply, and….

Frank felt tears stream down his face again, and he knew he was going to lose control. He had killed their child. God, how could he ever, _ever_ come to terms with that? He wasn't afraid of going to Hell. He was living in it now. Inexplicably, he flashed back to the scene as it had unfolded when the doctors had come out.

 _"Wh…what?" Laura Hardy asked, stunned._

 _"I'm sorry," the doctor repeated. "Callie Shaw has lost the baby. The fall that she experienced must have been quite severe. She's continuing to run a high temperature, and we're worried about the amount of blood loss she's suffered. Be grateful, though, that she's alive."_

 _Be grateful._

 _Frank felt his parents' eyes boring into him as they stared at him in shock. He could almost hear their silent words, see their accusations. He knew they must be shocked, horrified. How could he have not told them she was pregnant?! Their grandchild had died, and they hadn't even been allowed to celebrate its life. What had become of their eldest son? Whatever he touched, he hurt. So he did the only thing he could think to do, the only thing that made sense at that moment._

 _He ran._

Later, of course, he had returned. It would be unconscionable to leave Joe and Callie alone. He managed to speak to Vanessa, who shattered the world he had created with her words. He was grateful that she had; he had desperately wanted to believe that Joe and Callie would never hurt him. At the same time, he couldn't help but to think, _What can I do? Too little, too late._

And he had watched Joe and Callie, at least checked on their status, ever since. He knew his mother had wanted to speak with him, but he had feigned sleep, unable to face her, to explain how and why he had been capable of the unthinkable. When he did face the realities of the day, he managed to avoid his parents. If they abandoned him, which he very well knew he deserved, he'd have nothing left. And, although he knew he deserved nothing, he couldn't face it; not now.

As he finished walking through the lobby, Frank headed outside, to a smaller area in the back of the hospital. It was quiet and peaceful. He sat down on the bench and buried his face in his hands. He knew that he might… he REALLY might… consider running, and never coming back. What did he have to live for, anyway? The impact of that thought hit him like a ton of bricks, and he felt overwhelmed. The sobs that he had tried to contain for so long wracked his body. It was as though something so deep and terrible had been let loose in him that he began to lose track of himself and who he was.

For the first time in his life, Frank Hardy gave up.

It was just at that moment, when he thought it couldn't get any worse, that he felt someone wrap his arms around him and pull him into a tight embrace. He knew who it was almost immediately, and started to cry even harder.

"I'm sorry," he managed to choke out.

Fenton Hardy held Frank tightly, rubbing the back of his hair in a gesture of support. He had always done that with Frank; whenever Frank had done something wonderful as a child growing up, he'd always playfully muss his hair. When he'd been upset, he'd comfort him like this. Frank, not being as demonstrative as Joe, had always smiled and blushed. On the other hand, Joe had always greeted by his father with a big hug. Joe didn't care about saying "I love you" or giving hugs. Through the years, Fenton had watched as his baby boy taught his older son many valuable lessons about showing those you love how you feel. In turn, he'd watched Frank teach Joe about being a good person through his gentle nature, kind heart, and generosity of spirit.

Now, as he held Frank, Fenton felt his own heart ache. If there was one person who was too good and kind to suffer like this, it was Frank. He was determined to help him. Although he hadn't told his wife, Fenton had seen the look in Frank's eyes when he heard not only about Joe, but also about Callie as well. He looked like a trapped animal: hurt, confused, and disbelieving. He knew Frank would run and make the biggest mistake of his life. If Frank wouldn't save himself, Fenton would have to save him.

After what seemed like a long time, Frank stopped crying and pulled away from his father's arms. He looked straight ahead, eyes red, face pale. Fenton sighed inwardly. On top of all the emotional turmoil his son was facing, he knew that Frank felt ashamed for crying. To this day, he'd never know where Frank got the idea that it wasn't okay to cry. But…Frank had always been like that. Joe, lord love him, was a menace about crying when he was a kid and didn't get his own way. Thankfully, he had grown out of it. However, although Joe didn't cry often because he wanted to put up a macho front, Fenton knew Joe still believed it was okay to cry when you were sad, and when you were happy. It was a much healthier way to live than how Frank had gone through life, masking his hurt behind a smile, his tears behind laughter. Fenton had been grateful that Frank had always been a pretty happy kid…a happy man. He'd always worried that when something bad, really bad, did happen, Frank wouldn't handle it very well. Apparently, that time had come.

"Frank," Fenton said quietly to his eldest son, keeping an arm around him. "Look at me."

Slowly, Frank turned to his dad. For once, he didn't know what to do or what to say.

Fenton sensed that, so he did the talking. "Son," he began, "I love you."

He tried to ignore the look on Frank's face that silently screamed, _Stop_!

He squeezed Frank's shoulder. "I do. And so does your mother, and so does Joe, and so does Callie. I know you were there when Joe fell. It was an accident. And when your brother wakes up and comes to his senses, I'm sure he'll let you know that, too."

"I pushed him," Frank's voice was quiet, accepting.

"I don't know what went on, Frank, but I DO know that you'd never hurt Joe- never- not on purpose. You may NOT have pushed him…you're too tired and upset to think clearly. I KNOW you wouldn't hurt him."

Frank tried to focus, and his father's words gave him some life back. _Did his dad believe in him that much?! Why?! Wait…he HADN'T pushed Joe! But…_

"I'm sorry," he whispered again, touched by his father's support.

"Stop saying that," Fenton sighed. "You DO, however, owe us all an explanation of what happened with Callie." Seeing Frank tense up and rub his temple as if trying to focus, Fenton said, more gently, "Son, I'm here to listen. I know you want to run. I'm here to stop you."

Frank looked up in shock. How did his dad know that? "Okay," he said, weakly.

Taking a deep breath, Frank told his father the hardest story he'd ever have to relate. Frank related the events to him about about Cape May, and Nash and Jenkins, most of which Fenton already knew. He told his father about Callie's pregnancy, and how he had asked her not to tell anyone. He told Fenton of his suspicions about Joe and Callie, and WHY he thought that. Finally, Frank told him about the way he had treated Joe and Callie, his arguments with them, and, at last, how he had ended up here. He stopped talking and hung his head.

Fenton felt his heart pound in his chest. Had Frank been out of his mind? At the same time, he tried to picture things from Frank's point of view, and how he had come to a logical, albeit, wrong, conclusion. He couldn't believe for a second that Frank would treat Joe that badly, nor that he would put so much undue stress on Callie. Still, now that it was out there, he had to help Frank find his way back.

"How far along was she?" Fenton asked, his heart breaking for Callie…and for Frank.

"Over three months," Frank whispered, still not looking up.

' _Oh, no'_ , Fenton thought, but he had to move on. "Well, Frank," Fenton said at last, "You really screwed this one up."

Frank looked up, tears in his eyes.

"BUT," Fenton went on, reaching over to squeeze his son's hand, "I do NOT believe for a second that you're responsible for either physically hurting your brother or causing Callie to have a miscarriage. I really ache for you, and Callie…and Joe, of course. Time helps to heal the wounds we have. This is a BIG mistake, kiddo, but you don't make many. You have to forgive yourself before you can expect forgiveness from anyone else."

Frank blinked back the tears as he listened to his father. "I…can't," he said.

"You CAN," Fenton countered.

"But…Joe…."

"Will recover and be just fine, and you'll owe him a major apology. You had better work hard to make that right with him. You're too important to one another."

Frank sighed. He hated hearing what his father was saying, although he knew he was right.

"But…I mean, Callie…" Frank's voice trailed off. His father couldn't help him here.

"Callie needs you, Frank. Period." Fenton hated to be this way, but Frank needed a reality check right now. "You better go to her, and comfort her, and get down on your knees and beg forgiveness. You stick by her side when she wants you to go away, you hold her even when she says not to, and you tell her that you love her even if she says she hates you. If you really love that girl, Frank… and I KNOW you do… you'll fight for her."

Frank stared at his dad, and suddenly, slowly, began to realize what he had to do.

"And furthermore," Fenton went on, getting angry now, "We will find the monsters who tried to destroy your life, and make them pay. YOU better stay away…or I'll hurt you myself." Fenton managed to smile. "However, I could use your brainpower to help. I haven't told you this, but I haven't forgotten everything. I've been working with the FBI, and very closely with several officers in Cape May, and they're working on the case as we speak. Nash will not destroy my family. And," Fenton went on, meeting Frank's eyes, "You better not destroy yourself, because there are some pretty important people who need you right now. Joe's your brother- you better salvage that. And Callie- you fight for her with all you've got. And if she can't let you in, really, _really_ can't be with you anymore…" Fenton watched as Frank's eyes reeled in pain, "then you let her go. Gracefully. And help her move on. If you love her, you'll do that; you owe her that. But never, ever give up on that love, son, because it's a rare thing. Do what's best for her. Trust your judgment."

Frank swallowed, hard.

"And stop feeling sorry for yourself, because every minute you waste is another minute Nash and Jenkins have won."

Frank stood up slowly and exhaled deeply. Finally, he faced his father. "Okay."

Fenton smiled. "Okay."

With a final muss of Frank's hair, Fenton led his son back into the hospital, determined to help him LIVE again.


	13. Chapter 13

**Note** : _Many thanks to TinDog, max2013, Accidentally Social, EvergreenDreamweaver, Paulina Ann, and Caranath for your reviews on_ _the_ _last chapter!_

Consequences

Chapter 13

Vanessa pushed open the door to Joe's room and stepped inside. Instantly she was assaulted by the nightmarish memories she had buried deep inside, as the terror she had felt in Cape May threatened to take control. Leaning against the door, she took a few deep breaths, pushing the awful images away, and she walked to Joe's side. Pulling a chair up close to the bed, she sat down and reached through the bars, taking his hand in hers.

"You know this is getting really old, Baby," she said with a shaky laugh. Swiping at an errant tear that had disobeyed her commands to stay put, she vowed to be strong, in spite of the fact that she was close to breaking down.

' _He's not going to die,'_ she told herself. ' _This isn't like the last time. He's going to wake up soon. The doctor said so.'_

"Please listen to him, Joe, and wake up," she begged, gently brushing a hand across his cheek. "If you don't, they're going to do all kinds of tests on you. You know how you hate that."

' _Please, God, let him wake up.'_

Staring at Joe's pale face, Vanessa desperately wanted him to open his eyes, look at her, talk to her. At the same time, she almost hoped he wouldn't. Frank hadn't gone into great detail, but she fully understood he had said some horrible, hateful things to Joe. Accused him of…Vanessa still couldn't believe it. And she knew when Joe woke up and remembered everything Frank had said, he would be absolutely devastated.

"Frank, why didn't you just ask someone?" She shook her head sadly, reliving the fight they'd had in the waiting room just a few hours earlier. Vanessa now regretted abiding by Joe's wishes to keep her animosity towards Frank hidden. She should have confronted him long ago. "Maybe all this could have been avoided."

Reaching up with her free hand, Vanessa gently ran her fingers through Joe's hair. "I know you really don't want to wake up, Baby. I know you don't want to face what's happened. But I'll help you through it, I promise. Frank knows the truth now. He understands how wrong he was."

Resting her forehead on the rail of the bed, Vanessa closed her eyes. ' _I wish we had never even heard of Cape May,'_ she thought bitterly, recalling how excited Joe had been about their vacation, thrilled that he would get to spend time with his brother.

Going to separate colleges had been a difficult adjustment for Joe, even though Frank and Callie's school was only an hour away. Joe hid it well, but it had taken him a very long time to get used to the fact that Frank was starting to embark on his own life – one that didn't necessarily include Joe in every facet. The chance to spend two weeks with his brother, uninterrupted by mysteries or classes, had Joe practically bouncing off the walls.

Raising her head slightly and resting her chin on the rail, Vanessa gazed at Joe and wished she could wave a magic wand and go back in time, making that disastrous vacation everything Joe had wanted it to be. Frank and Callie would be happy, planning a wedding and the birth of a child. Joe wouldn't have spent the summer first, fighting for his life, and then fighting to recover.

As she always did in a bad situation, Vanessa tried to find something good in it. Smiling at Joe, she knew exactly what that something good was. It was when Joe had been hovering in that place doctors hated – the place where they could never tell the family whether the person they loved was going to live or die. It was that night she realized with stunning clarity that Joe was the one – the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. The months that followed were some of the hardest of her life, watching Joe struggle to do the simplest things, but she knew no matter what, no matter how hard it got, she would be by his side forever.

Although neither one of them had really come out and said it – more often than not they talked _around_ the subject – she knew Joe felt exactly the same way. They hadn't said it in so many words, but it was understood that one day they would be following Frank and Callie to the altar.

Vanessa sat up as a chilling thought occurred to her – after all this was over, would Frank and Callie still be heading in that direction? Would Callie be able to forgive him? She knew Joe would – eventually – as long as Frank was honest with him. But Callie… she had lost the baby as a result of trying to escape Frank's stinging accusations. Despite the way Frank had been treating her, Callie had been overjoyed at the thought of having a baby with him. The relationship she and Joe had always looked to for inspiration, as a role model, was precariously unstable.

' _They have to be okay. They just have to.'_

The hours passed as Vanessa sat with Joe. She talked to him off and on, hoping he would recognize her voice. But for the most part she remained silent, emotionally exhausted. Laura had come in for a while, then Fenton, but she knew they were deeply concerned about Frank and needed to be with him. She assured them she would let them know the second Joe woke up, leaving them free to focus on their oldest son, who appeared to be headed for a complete breakdown.

Vanessa had fallen into a light, restless sleep when she felt Joe begin to stir. Sitting up, she looked at him closely, wondering if she had just imagined it.

"Joe?" She murmured his name looking intently for any kind of response. Just as she was about to give up, thinking she had dreamt it, Joe moved his head slightly.

"Joe," she repeated, louder this time. "Come on, Baby. Wake up and talk to me."

Standing up, she hovered over the bed, squeezing his hand. "I know how much you love to sleep, but this is getting ridiculous."

Joe moaned, shifting in the bed, turning his head towards the sound of her voice. "I'm right here, Joe. Just open your eyes and look at me," Vanessa said, resting a hand on his cheek.

After a few more moments of tossing restlessly in the bed, Joe finally cracked an eye open. Inhaling sharply, he squeezed it shut again.

"Ow," Joe said, rather pathetically, although to Vanessa it was the sweetest sound she'd ever heard.

Reaching up, Vanessa turned off the lights closest to the bed. "I turned off some of the lights, Baby. Come on and try again."

"Nooo," Joe moaned. "It hurts," he protested.

"Hey, I've been sitting here for hours watching you sleep. Now I want to see those baby blues, so open your eyes," Vanessa ordered.

Groaning once more, Joe finally forced his eyes open, blinking a few times to focus. Looking at Vanessa, he squinted. "There's two of you," he announced.

"You should be so lucky," she said, reaching for the remote control and pressing the call button.

"Keep it down," he winced. "You don't have to yell."

"I wasn't yelling." She smiled, lowering her voice considerably. "You just have a killer headache. I'm sure they can give you something for the pain."

"No," Joe replied, unwisely shaking his head. "Owwwww." He moaned pitifully, just as the door opened and a nurse came in.

"So you decided to wake up, I see," the sandy haired woman smiled down at Joe.

"I'd rather still be unconscious if it's all the same to you," Joe grimaced.

"Well, I'd rather you weren't. And I'm sure your girlfriend feels the same way," she said winking at Vanessa. "She hasn't left your side, you know. If you decide to lapse back into unconsciousness, she may be swept off her feet by one of our handsome,l young residents."

Joe glanced at Vanessa before looking at the woman balefully. "Can I at least be awake with my eyes closed?" Joe asked, peering at the woman's name tag, trying to read it and finally giving up in frustration.

"Not until we check a few things," she replied, seeing his attempts to read her nametag. "And my name is Christa."

Joe watched through half closed eyelids as Christa pulled a small penlight out of her pocket.

"You weren't planning to shine that thing in my eyes, were you?" Joe guessed, trying to increase the distance between himself and the nurse.

"As a matter of fact, I was."

"Don't bother, they work fine," Joe huffed.

"Really?" Vanessa commented. "I thought you just said you were seeing two of me."

"Come on, be a big boy." Christa laughed as Joe threw Vanessa a dirty look. "I'll be gentle, I promise."

Reaching down, she shined the light first in Joe's right eye and then his left, quickly completing a few standard tests to ensure his pupils were reacting normally. "See? That wasn't so bad."

"Easy for you to say," Joe grumbled.

"Follow my finger with your eyes," Christa ordered, holding one finger in front of Joe's face. "Uh-uh. Don't turn your head. Just use your eyes." She scolded him when he immediately moved his head in time with her finger. "Try again."

After a few more tests and a little more complaining from Joe, Christa left the room, telling Joe and Vanessa she would let Fenton and Laura know Joe was awake.

Taking a seat in the chair once again, Vanessa held tightly to Joe's hand. With Christa gone, Joe no longer felt the need to hide what he was really feeling. He slowly turned his head, meeting Vanessa's gaze, his eyes reflecting pain, anguish, and unbearable heartache.

"I'm sorry, Baby," Vanessa said softly, wishing she could do something to take away his misery.

"He said…he thinks I…" Joe stopped, unable to even verbalize his brother's cruel accusations.

"I had a long talk with him," Vanessa said, holding both of Joe's hands in hers. "I know it can't possibly make up for the things he said, but he knows the truth now. He knows how wrong he was."

"But I don't understand. How could he even think I would do something like that?" Joe asked, his voice shaking. "God, I love him, Van. He's my big brother. I've looked up to him my whole life. Wanted to be like him. Wanted him to be proud of me…" Joe's voice trailed off and he squeezed his eyes shut, trying to stop the tears from coming. "I'd never hurt him like that," he said, barely a whisper.

Knowing there were no words that could even begin to help, Vanessa simply sat, listening to Joe try and make sense of his world that had suddenly been turned upside down. Rubbing his shoulder gently, she was torn between hating Frank for what he did to Joe, and feeling sorry for him. She was almost certain Joe could forgive his brother, given a little time…almost. She dared not even think about what their lives would be like if Joe couldn't find it in his heart to do that.

' _But you will,'_ she thought, watching Joe, as he verbalized his deepest thoughts and biggest fears.

Vanessa already understood how much Frank would need them in the coming months if he had any hope of putting his life back together. Despite all the angry, spiteful words Frank had used as weapons to hurt his brother, she knew with absolute certainty that once Joe got over his own shock and found his way past the hurt, he would be there for the brother he idolized – no matter what.


	14. Chapter 14

**Note** : _Thank you to everyone following the story, and especially for those of you who left reviews on the last chapter, which were much appreciated: max2013, caranath, BMSH, EvergreenDreamweaver, and Paulina Ann_.

Consequences

Chapter 14

Frank stood at the door to Callie's hospital room, and took a shaky breath. He couldn't imagine, couldn't conceive of what he would possibly say to her. _I killed our baby,_ he thought, numbly. _I hurt you. I accused you of the ultimate betrayal and I know, now, that you didn't do it._

Frank tried to wipe the steady stream of tears away from his eyes. Thank God that his father had been there for him, had been available to try and comfort him. He knew that if it wasn't for his father, he really might have run away and never come back. Never in his life had he felt such guilt, such shame, such regret.

His kid brother, whom he loved more than anything, was now in the hospital, hurt again, because of him. Involuntarily, his mind flashed back to the scene with Joe, the horrible fight they had gotten into, and the look of horror in his brother's eyes as he struggled to process what Frank had been saying to him. _Why couldn't I see that he didn't remember? How could I have doubted him—ever? Who CARES about "evidence" when your family's involved?_ Frank closed his eyes and prayed to God that Joe would be okay. He didn't even care if Joe never spoke to him again, or couldn't forgive him. If he were all right, that would be all that mattered.

He didn't know how he knew, but he did… he KNEW what he should have realized all along; that Joe and Callie had been loyal to him, always had been. Oh, God. Callie.

Frank had to back up as he felt a wave of weakness and nausea pass over him. Seeing a chair in the nearby waiting area, he found himself falling back into it. Falling was a good word for it, as Frank found himself descending into a state so dark he didn't know if he had the strength to lift himself out of it.

What was he going to say to Callie? Because of him…she had lost their child. He rubbed his forehead to try and clear his vision, but it wasn't working. Why hadn't he believed her? He felt ill thinking of how he had treated her, refusing to allow her to tell anyone she was pregnant and trying to go through it alone. He had ignored her so many times, had fought his urges to hold her and tell her he loved her more than anything. And when he HAD told her, finally, what she meant to him…it had been on false pretenses, thinking she was sleeping with his own brother. Frank made a gagging noise as he tried not to throw up. And it was because of him…that she had run out, stung…devastated… and until now, he hadn't really known why. If only he had listened to her. If only he had trusted her, their child would still be alive. If only, if only….

Finally, Frank tried to pull himself together, blinking back his tears. Now was NOT the time for all of this to hit him. Joe needed him and Callie needed him. He had to be strong for them, help them to pull through this nightmare. He could deal with the consequences later.

As he slowly and shakily made his way back to Callie's room, he saw the door open, and Vanessa stepped out, almost bumping into him. She looked tired and upset, and her own eyes were red from crying. _Of course_ , Frank thought, numbly. _She's worried about Joe, too, and Callie._ Did the list of people whom he'd hurt ever stop? To his surprise, Vanessa caught his arm as he was about to enter Callie's room.

"Frank," she said, meeting his eyes, "Don't go in there. Not now."

"Wh…what?" he stuttered. "Vanessa, I HAVE to see her. Please, let me through." As he tried to move, Vanessa positioned herself between him and the door, making entrance impossible.

"Frank," she said again, her blue-gray eyes penetrating into his heart, "Really. Now is NOT a good time. She needs to be alone."

"Vanessa," he said at last, struggling for control, "Why?" It was the only thing he could mutter.

Finally, Vanessa's eyes reflected the sympathy that she had been trying to suppress for so long. She was trying to warn him, but when she saw the agony in his eyes, she couldn't deny the fact that although he had done a lot of things wrong, Frank Hardy was a good person, and he loved Callie very much. Taking his hand, she said, gently, "I knew."

"You knew what?" he whispered.

"I knew that Callie was pregnant."

"Oh," Frank found himself saying. He didn't ask how, or when, or why she knew. Suddenly, it wasn't important.

"The doctor tried to find you earlier, but I guess you were with your dad," she continued, and Frank nodded, vaguely wondering why the doctor was trying to locate him.

Vanessa squeezed his hand. "Frank, they're watching Callie very closely. When she lost the baby, she started hemorrhaging, and she lost a lost of blood. Even now, she's running a high fever, and the doctors don't seem to know why." Vanessa paused, letting her words sink in. "Frank, a normal fall usually wouldn't bring about such blood loss, or infection…IF that's what causing the fever. So…they want Callie watched carefully, avoiding stress…if that's possible."

 _Avoiding stress. She means me,_ Frank realized. Then it hit him. _Callie's sick! No…_

"I," he managed, before words failed him.

"I know," Vanessa said, letting a lone tear slip down her cheek. "She'll be okay, though. It was just a fall, right? I mean, I'm sure she'll physically get through this."

"And emotionally?" Frank asked her, heart breaking. "Mentally, will she get through this? Does she hate me?" he whispered. "How could she not?"

Vanessa felt horrible seeing Frank in so much despair, and she reached out to him, holding him tightly, as he had done for her so many times in the past when things had gone wrong. She let him cling to her for support, and he did, holding her as if his life depended on not letting go.

"Oh, Frank," she said, softly. "She doesn't hate you… I mean, she LOVES you…but she's in pain right now, and I don't think going in there will help her right now. She…she told me, briefly…what happened…"

Frank pulled away from her at once, shocked. "She did?!" He started trembling, worse than he had before. "It's my fault. I'm so sorry," he said.

"Frank, no," Vanessa countered, trying to be strong. "Honey, it was an ACCIDENT. I'm sure what happened with Joe was, too," she finished, and she was proud of herself. She knew what Frank had told her, but somehow she also knew that Joe would forgive his big brother, and try to make things right. In his absence, she would take his place. _Just don't let his absence be too long_ , she pleaded, mentally.

"I have to see her," Frank finally replied to Vanessa. "Vanessa, I need to know she's okay. I need her to know I'm there for her, even if she doesn't want me to be. She's my…," he finished, his voice trailing off, unable to find the right word to express how deeply he loved Callie.

Vanessa nodded. She still didn't know if it was a good idea. Callie had sobbed in her arms before succumbing to the fever and the pain, and Vanessa was worried about what she might say or do. Even under a doctor's care, Callie's position was precarious, since no one seemed to know why she had lost so much blood and why she was in constant pain or running a fever. Vanessa was a lot more worried than she let on, but she knew that Frank had common sense, and would care for her and let her rest. She could only hope that Callie would see Frank after everything. Although she hadn't said too much, she had said enough…and she knew that Callie was conflicted at best about Frank at the moment.

Giving Vanessa's hand a final squeeze, he watched as she left for Joe's room, or to keep his parents company. Then, vowing to hold it together, he walked into Callie's room, and was grateful that she appeared to be sleeping soundly. Pulling up a chair next to her bed, Frank leaned over and gave Callie a quick kiss on her forehead, looking at her, concerned, when he felt how hot to the touch she was… and pale. Frank swallowed the lump in his throat as he looked at Callie's whitened, waxy complexion. How much blood had she lost?! Vaguely, he recalled the doctor's words about transfusions after the baby was lost…but he had been so shocked that Callie was in the hospital, much less suffering a miscarriage, that he hadn't processed anything fully.

"Oh, baby," he whispered. Taking her hand, he continued to watch over her for several hours, occasionally hearing back from his mom or dad or Vanessa about Joe. Watching her beautiful face as she took soft breaths made him think of her only, and nothing else. And that was good. Finally, he drifted off to sleep, still holding her hand.

Some time later, Frank had no idea how long it had been, he woke up. Stretching his arms behind his head, he realized that close to three hours had passed when he glanced at his watch. Deciding to refocus, he stifled a yawn, and was shocked to see that Callie was awake, staring straight ahead. Almost at once, he felt his heart start to pound in his chest.

"Callie?" he said softly, but she didn't respond.

Confused, he stood up, and walked in front of her bed. "Cal?" he asked again, seeing that she was awake, her eyes open.

Finally, she moved her eyes to him, meeting his gaze. At once, he felt the lump in his throat return. Although her eyes were glassy with fever, that wasn't what scared him. She was looking at him not with anger, or sadness or hatred… her eyes were DEAD. Never having seen her that lifeless before, Frank didn't know what to do. Slowly, he went around and sat on the edge of the bed. "Hey," he said gently.

"What do you want?' Callie asked, her voice low, slightly slurred.

 _What did he want? God, that was a very good question. Forgiveness? Reassurance? To comfort HER? To hold her? To say he was sorry, that he felt like dying, too?_

"Callie," Frank said, reaching for her hand, "I…I'm sorry…" It was all he could say.

She pulled her hand away from him, weakly, and he was shocked. _I shouldn't be_ , he said to himself. _I have to try again_.

"Oh, Callie," he choked out. "I…I know you…and Joe... that nothing happened." It was so unbearably hard to even say as he was consumed with guilt.

"Shoulda known that anyway," she replied, looking weak and dizzy. Still, there wasn't the faintest trace of emotion in her voice. There were no tears, no yelling, no drama…no replay of their horrendous fight.

"I know," he mouthed, unable to make his voice return.

She didn't move.

"God, Callie... the baby." Now Frank felt all his emotions return at once with a vengeance, and he started to cry, silently, feeling his body shaking with sobs.

She offered no comfort, and he didn't expect any. When he looked up at last, he saw her lower lip trembling and she was visibly shaken and trembling, hard, at the mention of their lost child. Still, she was staring straight ahead. When Frank saw her, his instinct kicked in, and he put his own pain aside and moved next to her, unable to resist taking her in his arms to comfort her.

When Callie felt him hold her, she let him. She needed him and, yet, was repulsed by him. As he rocked her in his arms, rubbing her neck, she closed her eyes. She was so hot…and so cold… her body ached, and she felt so weak. But, above all, she felt empty. She couldn't even begin to think about her loss, or the fact that her fight with Frank had precipitated it. Had Frank killed her baby? Had she? Had God taken from her any hope of happiness? Why?!

If she didn't hurt…so badly…she'd think about it. But she didn't want to think. She couldn't fathom that her child was gone. She couldn't comprehend that the man whom she had loved for nearly all her life, whom she had given herself to, totally, and agreed to be his wife…would betray her to her very core. In one instant, she lost her fiancée, best friend, husband, and future. It was all too overwhelming. She felt dizzy.

Frank's arms around her calmed her somewhat as she numbly nestled into him. She just…couldn't cry. She knew her soul would shatter like her heart if she began to think. She did know she had to do one thing, though.

Frank was talking… what was he saying? It was hard...so hard…to understand, to will herself to care- and not to care. Something about sorry…the baby…love… devastation…Joe… Joe? Had she heard that right? Everything was so mumbled.

After a long time, Callie looked up at him, seeing him through eyes blurry with fever, blurry with tears that she couldn't shed. _Blurry like my feelings_.

"Frank?" she said numbly.

"Yeah?" he choked out.

With trembling hands, she reached down to her left hand and removed the beautiful diamond engagement ring that, at one time, symbolized everything good in her life. Shaking, she placed it in Frank's shirt pocket and then looked down, burying her face in his chest for one last time.

"It's over."

It took Frank a moment, but he pulled her tightly to him, and she could feel his tears in her hair and the ragged movement of his breathing as he tried to choke back sobs.

"I know."

And with that, Frank Hardy and Callie Shaw made their final choice together.

And faced the consequences.


	15. Chapter 15

**Note** : _Many thanks to all those reading and following, and for those of you who are so kind to leave a review. Thanks so much to AccidentallySocial, TinDog, BMSH, max2013, Caranath, Paulina Ann, and EvergreenDreamweaver for the much appreciated reviews on the last chapter!_

Consequences

Chapter 15

Joe sat on the edge of the bed, impatiently swinging his legs back and forth. Dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, he was now waiting for the doctor to make an appearance and sign his discharge papers – the only thing standing between him and freedom. Hearing the door open, he looked up hoping to see the doctor or a nurse, unable to mask his disappointment when he saw Vanessa walk in.

"Gee, try not to look so excited," she said dryly, planting a kiss on his cheek.

"Sorry, Babe. I was hoping you were someone who could authorize me to get out of this place," he replied dejectedly.

"Well, I have good news then. I stopped at the nurse's station on my way in and they expect the doctor to be here in about fifteen minutes. Think you can hang on that long?" She joked.

"I suppose," Joe sighed.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Vanessa asked, concerned. "You passed up a perfectly good opportunity for a wisecrack. That's not like you."

"I can't just go home and leave things like this with Frank," Joe replied, his tone a mixture of anger and pain. "I know you said he came to see me a few times but I was always asleep. I haven't seen him since that night…"

Joe stopped suddenly, still having a hard time believing it had actually happened. Shaking his head slightly to throw off the painful memories, he looked at Vanessa. "I know you told me once already but I was still pretty out of it at the time. Can you tell me again, about what went on with you and Frank? What you told him? What he said? How he reacted?"

"Are you sure you want to do this now?" Vanessa asked dubiously. Getting Joe all worked up right before he was discharged didn't seem like a good idea to her. "We could wait until you got home, got settled in and…"

"I want to stop and see him on the way home," Joe announced.

"What?" Vanessa said, not liking that idea at all.

"I want to go see him before I go home. I need to talk to him. I need him to explain why he doubted me. Why he believed I would do something like that. I need a reason I can understand, Van. And if he can't give me one…" Joe looked away, blinking rapidly. If Frank couldn't give him one, it would mean their relationship had been damaged beyond repair - and the bond that he had thought could never be broken would be permanently severed.

"Honey, I know you need to do this, but are you sure you're up for it today?" Vanessa asked him gently. Joe was still very pale and a little wobbly on his feet. The nurses had been adamant that _she_ drive home and not let him behind the wheel as his vision was still blurred. He had been instructed to go home and get several more days of complete rest. More stress was the last thing he needed.

"I have to, Van. The longer I wait the harder it will be. And when I think about the last time I saw my brother, I don't want it to be the night he accused me of sleeping with his fiancée," Joe replied.

The pain in his voice was reflected in his eyes and Vanessa knew she had to do whatever she could to help erase it. "Okay," she replied simply. Joe scooted over a little, allowing Vanessa to sit on the bed next to him.

"He was already here at the hospital when you got here?" Joe asked, unable to remember when Vanessa said he had arrived. First and foremost, he needed to know if his brother even cared that he had been hurt – or if that only started once Frank realized he'd been wrong about everything.

"He came in the ambulance with you, Joe," Vanessa smiled at him. "He called your parents and I as soon as you got here. He was devastated."

"Even though he still thought Callie and I had slept together?"

"Yes. That was before he and I…talked," Vanessa confirmed.

"What did he say? How did he explain what happened?" Joe hesitated a moment. "Did he tell Mom and Dad the truth?"

Vanessa nodded as she spoke. "He said the two of you had argued and you fell. He didn't say what you had argued about – not right then - but he told us he said some awful things to you. You were trying to leave and he grabbed your arm. He said you pulled away just as he let go and fell, hitting your head. The doctor came out right then to talk to us and your parents went to sit with you until they moved you to a room."

"And after they left? That's when you and Frank talked?"

"That's when I slapped some sense into him," Vanessa replied with a secretive smile.

"Literally?" Joe asked, jokingly.

"What do you think?" Vanessa winked.

Joe looked at Vanessa through narrowed eyes, contemplating her remark. He'd seen his girlfriend's temper in action and quickly came to the conclusion it was quite possible she had slapped some sense into Frank, literally and figuratively.

"I think it's best if I don't know.l," he replied, shaking his head at her. "So he still thought Callie and I had cheated on him. How long did it take you to convince him otherwise?" Joe asked, turning serious once again.

Vanessa looked at him pensively before answering. She didn't think there was any need for Joe to hear Frank's accusations word for word, yet again. Taking Joe's hand in hers, she decided a simple narrative from her perspective, rather than an interrogation on Joe's part, would give him all the information he needed, without causing him any more pain.

"He told me what he thought had been going on. After I got over the initial shock, I told him he needed to check himself into the psychiatric floor. When I realized he really believed what he was saying, I asked him what kind of proof he had."

"Proof?" Joe repeated, with a chuckle.

"Hey, I figured I'd go with something familiar to him. Plus I knew when he started laying out his proof and his facts it wouldn't take long for him to see there was nothing there at all." Vanessa stopped and shook her head sadly, recalling the look in Frank's eyes as he slowly realized he had been wrong the whole time. "At first I was just livid with him, but as I shot holes in all his theories and his proof, as he started to realize what a huge mistake he had made…well, I almost started to feel sorry for him. I guess after awhile, it got easy for him to convince himself he was right. And whenever he saw something as innocent as you giving Callie a hug, well, it was just one more piece of 'proof' to confirm his suspicions."

"I still don't understand why he didn't just come right out and ask me. I probably would have decked him for even thinking such a thing, but it would have been a lot better than this," Joe said.

"Actually, although he didn't come right out and ask you point blank, he said he DID ask you enough questions that you should have known what he was getting at. Which brings up another point." Vanessa commented, her eyes boring into Joe's. "How long did you intend to keep the fact that you never remembered _anything_ hidden from all of us?"

"Oh, uh…I…I'm…" Joe stammered, before giving up with a heavy sigh. "I don't know. The doctors said I would remember everything eventually. I didn't want to worry anyone. I just figured it was taking me a little longer than they thought it would."

"Joe, didn't it occur to you the fact that you couldn't remember at all could be a sign that something serious was going on?" Vanessa cried out.

Joe winced slightly as Vanessa's voice rose. "Oww. Could you keep it down, hon? I still have a killer headache."

"I'm sorry. Do you want something for it?" she asked.

"Nah. It'll be okay. Now can we get back to Frank, please?" Joe begged.

"Don't think we're done with this, Joseph Hardy. You've still got some explaining to do yourself," Vanessa reprimanded him. "And there's not much else to tell. Right about then is when the nurse came in looking for him. Callie had just been brought in and she recognized his name on the emergency information in her purse."

"Wow, me and Callie both in the same night." Joe shook his head, unable to comprehend how Frank must have felt.

"Yeah, wow. It pushed him right over the edge." Scooting a little closer to Joe, Vanessa held both of his hands tightly. "Please don't take this the wrong way… I mean he was way out of line and had no right to say or do a lot of the things he did. You know I will always be on your side, but… Joe, he is completely destroyed right now. I know you need to see him, to find some answers for yourself. And I hope they'll be the ones you need to hear. But when you're done talking to him, clearing the air, if there's any possible way you can do it… he needs a friend right now."

"When he explained everything to you, I mean about how he came to such a ridiculous conclusion did it…make sense? Could you really see it from his perspective and understand how he got there?" Joe asked hopefully. "I need some reason for all this, Van. Something I can understand. If he can't give me that…" Joe closed his eyes for a moment, appearing to try and stay in control of his emotions. "I just want my brother back," he whispered.

Reaching out, Vanessa wrapped her arms around Joe, pulling him close to her. Holding him tightly, she prayed Joe would get the answers he needed.


	16. Chapter 16

**Note** : _Many thanks to those of you who were kind enough to leave a review on the last chapter (15): Fire Lily 68, BMSH, Paulina Ann, EvergreenDreamweaver, max2013, and Caranath. Your comments are much appreciated. Thank you as well to those reading and following_.

Consequences

Chapter 16

Frank sat numbly on the couch of his apartment and stared straight ahead, swallowing hard. Today was unbearably difficult to get through. Less than two days ago, Callie had broken off their engagement in the hospital. Worse, he knew that he would, perhaps, never see her again. How could he go on with that thought? For most of his life, since he was a young teenager, he had been in love with her. She was, and continued to be, everything good in his life. Staring ahead, looking at the walls, which were gray as his own heart, and he knew that, soon, he'd have to come to terms with what had happened. He didn't know if he could do it.

When he had left her, he hadn't said a word to anyone about their break-up. In fact, he had just held Callie, told her he loved her, and … let her go. To say he was "sorry" seemed too inconsequential and so incapable of expressing his true sorrow that it wasn't even worth uttering.

He had walked out of the hospital, away from his parents, Vanessa, Callie, and Joe, and went home. Again, he thought with shame and regret, he had walked away from a problem instead of trying to handle it. He knew that he would literally break down on the spot if he had to tell anyone about what had happened with Callie, or to admit to his parents or Vanessa, again, what he had to with Joe. The worst thing of all was that he knew that the sorrow and pain that Callie and Joe were going through were caused by him... and what kind of person was he if could do that to the people who he loved more than anything? It was a devastating thought.

Joe was being released from the hospital today. Glancing at his watch, Frank realized that Joe had probably already left and would be resting at home, recovering. He swallowed the lump in his throat as he thought of his little brother, whose goodness and honesty he had dared to question. Would Joe be in pain? Would he be all right? _Will he ever speak to me again?_ Frank pushed aside the last thought, knowing that he didn't deserve Joe's forgiveness.

Then there was Callie. She was _still_ in the hospital, and he was scared to death. Fenton kept calling him and updating him about Callie, although he was totally clueless as to why Frank wasn't there. With a pang, Frank recalled how he had told his father that he was getting very sick, and that he had to go home and rest. _Another lie…_ But Callie seemed to be getting worse, instead of better. A miscarriage was difficult and painful enough, but the doctors were puzzled and very concerned that she was continuing to suffer blood loss, and her fever had not gone down. She was getting weaker instead of stronger.

He knew he would go back to the hospital tonight, in spite of everything, because he couldn't leave her. Why was she so sick? _God, let her be all right_ , he prayed. And, despite his horrible guilt, Frank also knew that eventually, he'd have to, and would, talk to his brother. Somehow, through all this turmoil and misunderstanding, through all his rage and guilt and sorrow, he had lost himself. But Frank knew he had always been a strong person, and he had always tried to do the right thing, although somehow everything had gone wrong. And he prayed for the strength to find himself again. _Not that I deserve anything from God right now_ , he concluded, miserably.

A knock on the door ended his reverie.

"Who's that?" Frank muttered to himself, trying to get in control again. Callie was in the hospital, and his parents and Vanessa were with Joe. He had no idea who could possibly be visiting him, and he wasn't in the mood for visitors, anyway.

Opening the door, Frank stood, shocked. Although he was pale and squinting slightly, it was Joe.

After a full minute of silence went by, Joe finally asked, "Can I come in?"

Snapping back to reality, Frank took a shaky breath and moved out of the way, permitting Joe to enter. In characteristic fashion, Joe headed straight for the kitchen and pulled out a chair, grabbing a can of soda off the counter. He looked at his brother.

Slowly, Frank followed him into the kitchen, his mind whirling. Finally, he managed, "You're… you're not supposed to be here," he choked out.

"What…are you kicking me out?" Joe asked with a small smile before grimacing in pain.

"What's the matter?" Frank asked immediately, concerned. "Can I help you? Get you something? Where's Vanessa? How did you get here?"

Joe held up his hand and smiled hesitantly again. He had planned to come here because he knew he had to straighten this whole mess out with Frank right away. He had been hurt so deeply by his brother's accusations that, at first, he felt as if their relationship would be permanently shattered. Never had he felt such pain, knowing that Frank didn't trust him and would honestly believe that he would betray him. However, after talking with Vanessa about everything, and having a little time to think, Joe needed to know WHY. Letting his rational thoughts take control of his emotions was hard, but he KNEW that Frank had lashed out at him for some reason, and getting angry and hurt, although justified, wouldn't do either of them any good.

"Hold on a second," he said slowly. "YOU'RE giving me a headache now," he continued, trying to joke.

"I'll get you some aspirin," Frank responded immediately, and came back right away with a bottle of extra strength Tylenol.

Taking the bottle, Joe took three pills and swallowed them down with the soda. "Thanks," he said, meeting his brother's eyes. _Okay, now I have to be the responsible one_ , Joe thought to himself. As much as he wanted to strangle his brother, first he would have to find out what had caused Frank to snap.

"Vanessa dropped me off. She'll be back in two hours. Mom and Dad went home." Joe spoke evenly and rationally, holding back his own emotions.

Frank nodded, and looked away. What could he say to his brother? He felt his eyes begin to fill with tears, and blinked them back quickly. Joe had come here for some reason. If nothing else, that was a start.

"Frank?" Joe spoke at last, ready to begin this conversation. He didn't want to admit it to himself, but his heart was beating rapidly, and he was afraid. If Frank didn't have a good explanation, could he handle it? Would they ever have the relationship that they had always maintained again? _IS there any explanation- really- that would be good enough?_

Frank looked at his brother, and whispered, "I don't know what to say. 'Sorry' doesn't seem enough."

Joe was surprised to see that Frank's hands were trembling, and then he looked up and saw that Frank looked pale, tired, and absolutely miserable. Keeping of Vanessa's advice in the back of his mind, he took a deep breath. "It's something," Joe said.

"I…I..." Frank stumbled over his own words as, suddenly, everything came rushing out, overcoming him. "I'm sorry, Joe," he began, trying hard to blink back tears. "I'm so miserable! I know I'm the worst brother ever. I'll never, ever, forgive myself for what I said to you—for what I did." His voice was shaky, and he still couldn't meet Joe's eyes.

Finally, Joe needed to respond. "But WHY, Frank?!" he exclaimed, standing up. Joe really didn't care if Frank saw him cry, but he was trying to control it, only halfway successful. "Last summer…. I HELPED Callie! I did everything in my power to protect her. You want the truth?" he asked, realizing he was yelling, and not caring.

Frank looked up from the table.

"I asked you if you wanted the truth!" Joe shouted, slamming his hand on the table, and fighting back the headache that was pounding as he got more upset.

Frank nodded, wanting to comfort Joe, and knowing he couldn't.

"The truth is, big brother, that I couldn't remember what happened, okay?!" Joe began pacing the room, wiping back the few tears that had fallen onto his cheeks. "I didn't tell anyone that- not Mom or Dad, not you, not Callie, not Vanessa, and not the doctors. I was embarrassed, and I was afraid. Wouldn't you be? If you KNEW something had happened but you couldn't remember what?"

"I know," Frank replied. "I…I wish you would have told me."

"TOLD YOU?!" Joe asked, outraged. "You couldn't SEE it? Then, you started acting all weird, to me and to Callie. I didn't tell her about my memory problems until a few days ago." Finally, Joe took a deep breath and sat down again, trying to make his point, and forgetting about trying to mask his own pain and hurt.

"Frank," he began, again, "All my life, I've looked up to you. I'd do anything for you, you know? You were not only my big brother, but also my best friend."

"Stop," Frank said, through tear-filled eyes, as he turned red.

"No, I won't stop," Joe went on. "And when you and Callie started dating, I was bummed out for a while because I was a little jealous of the time you spent together. BUT- we were kids then. I got to know Callie, and she got to know me. I was THRILLED when you two decided to get married."

"Stop, please," Frank begged again, in ragged breaths.

"No!" Joe retorted. "Stop running- this isn't like you!"

"Nothing's like me anymore!" Frank shot back, rubbing his forehead.

"How could you do it, Frank? How could you think, even for a minute, that Callie and I, that we … would do…." Joe choked back the words.

"I don't know!" Frank responded, turning away.

"That's not good enough!" Joe yelled back. And it wasn't. If Frank didn't explain himself, Joe knew he might never be able to repair their relationship. He was desperate for an answer.

"Okay," Frank answered, turning around. His face had gone very pale again, and he looked on the verge of breaking down. "You didn't tell me that you kissed her." Even saying those words killed him.

"I DIDN'T kiss her!" Joe shot back, exasperated. The memories of last summer had slowly begun to return, although there was quite a lot of information that was still missing. However, his pieces of memory, along with Callie's recollections, had allowed him to put together what had happened. "And shame on you for even EVER thinking I would!"

"But…" Frank began.

"No, "but's"," Joe cut in. "Nash and Jenkins were going to hurt her- _badly_. They wanted us to do a lot more than kiss when they found out she was going out with YOU, not me." Joe took a deep breath before continuing. "I told her to do it. She was FORCED into me, Frank, as I was into her. That was all that happened, and it was simply to humiliate her."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Frank asked, in a shaky voice.

"I couldn't tell you something I couldn't remember! Besides, what good would it do?" Joe sighed. "Frank, she WANTED to tell you- I told her not to. Not until I could remember. We didn't plan to keep it from you forever. We were going to tell you…together…as soon as I could remember. I didn't think it was fair for Callie to try and explain it to you alone. It wasn't like we _wanted_ it to happen, Frank. Or that we didn't do anything in our power to stop it."

"But you told her you loved her! You were holding her... at Mom and Dad's house!"

"Huh?" Joe asked, completely oblivious.

"In the living room when we all went home. You said you loved her."

Suddenly, Joe remembered what Frank was talking about. "You were listening in?!" he asked, incredulous.

"Does it matter?!" Frank shot back.

"You can be such an idiot sometimes!" Joe answered, still unable to believe he was having this conversation. "Callie was worried about me, Frank. She blamed herself for what happened. I gave her a hug and told her I loved her, which I DO! Frank, for God's sake, I've known her for years! She was going to be my sister- in -law!"

"But…but… I mean, the hammock…" Frank stuttered.

Joe's face turned red. "Now I'm getting angry!" he began. "I don't know what you saw, or what you think you saw, but NOTHING HAPPENED! What… are you talking about me blowing her a kiss? Yeah, you are! That kiss was for VANESSA!" Joe exploded, remembering his fight with Frank. "Yeah, and how she held my hand and all that! You know," Joe went on, disgusted, "You fell in love with her because she was so kind and caring. Yet the minute she was there for me, you misinterpret everything. She should smack you!"

Frank turned away, his heart breaking.

"AND," Joe went on, "I can't believe you watched the video! We TOLD you it wasn't us! You fell right into the trap!"

"She… she had this notepad…it had "the affair" written on it. And your name. She had drawn hearts around your name…" Frank whispered. "What does that mean?"

"I don't know what it means, Frank. Why didn't you just _ask_ her instead of assuming the worst?" Joe yelled disgustedly.

"But... I mean, I saw you two...on my birthday…you were holding each other, and…I…" Words failed Frank.

"Yeah, you know why?" Joe asked, stunned that Frank had even seen that. "Because she was heartbroken about your stupid behavior, and I was upset about it, too. And since I couldn't remember anything, I began to doubt what had happened, and she felt all alone. Plus, she was under all that stress from you, and the pregnancy…" Suddenly, Joe stopped, realizing what he had just said. He saw the look of anguish on Frank's face.

Momentarily forgetting that he was in the middle of a big argument with his brother, Joe reached out and put a hand on his Frank's shoulder. "I'm really sorry about that," he said, sincerely. Over that past few days, Vanessa had told him what she knew, although it hadn't been much.

"Can I ask you something?" Joe went on, more quietly than before.

"Yeah," Frank whispered.

"Why didn't you tell me?" and then as soon as he asked the question, he knew the answer. _He thought the baby was mine! Oh, God!_

Frank couldn't take it anymore; he buried his face in his arms and started sobbing, unable to answer Joe's questions anymore.

For the first time since their horrible fight, Joe began to see things from his brother's perspective. Although he would never understand why Frank hadn't trusted him completely, he began to go on the premise that Frank believed something had happened between him and Callie, and, if that was true, then it seemed like a whole lot of circumstantial evidence would have proven him correct. He saw that Frank loved him, and Callie, and, if the situation were reversed, he couldn't imagine how betrayed he would have felt. He still wanted to kill his brother, but at least now he began to understand him. And now, as always, he couldn't stand to see him in pain.

Joe was shocked to see Frank crying, and he reached over and rubbed his back, trying to comfort him. He didn't know what to say.

When Frank finally calmed down, he weakly lifted his head up, reached for the Tylenol, and took a drink of soda from Joe's can. Slowly, he turned to his brother, eyes red. "Joe," he said, voice hoarse, "I cannot ask you to forgive me. I am so unbelievably sorry. I can only promise to do better in the future…not to let you down. I'll never forgive myself…and I am so sorry I hurt you."

Joe sighed. "I know," he responded, and gave his brother a small smile. "I forgive you for being a real...pain," he finished, deciding against using some of the expletives on the tip of his tongue. "Just don't ever doubt me again, Frank. I'm serious."

"I won't."

"I couldn't handle that."

"I know."

"And, I forgive you, okay? Quit being so hard on yourself. Let's try to get our lives together again. After all, I'm still the best man at the wedding, right?" He tried to joke and ease the tension.

"No." Frank looked so miserable that the smile quickly fell from Joe's face.

"What?"

Frank closed his eyes for a second, and then looked into Joe's face, full of concern. "The reason I saw you that night…like you know… was that Callie and I got in a big fight. I never got to tell you about it."

"Uh oh," Joe said, not realizing he had spoken aloud.

"If you think I was horrible to you, you should have heard what I said to her," Frank answered, his voice thick with emotion. He had to look away, out the window. He wished he could escape outside, too. But…he was through running.

"It was just a fight," Joe said gently, trying to console Frank, while at the same time reeling from what he imagined had happened with his brother and Callie in that fight.

"No, it wasn't," Frank went on, still staring out the window. "She was upset, and she ran out. She fell. She…lost the baby. It was my fault."

"Oh, no, Frank!" Joe replied, startled. "That was an accident."

Finally, Frank turned around, and Joe was struck silent by the despair in his eyes. "Sure it was my fault. Not only was she running from me, but all the stress I caused her must have made her sick. I'm not stupid." His voice was quiet, accepting.

"Frank," Joe began, but was cut off.

"And she's still sick, Joe. Did you know that? She's really sick, with bleeding and a fever and pain." Joe didn't respond. No- he hadn't known that. No one had told him.

"And she told me it's over," Frank concluded. "I guess our choices always have consequences."

Joe listened for a few minutes, upset by Frank's words. Then, as if by instinct, he reached out and held his brother's hand. "Things will be okay."

Frank looked down at his hand for a second. He thought Joe would never speak to him again, but he was here. Deserving or not, Joe had forgiven him. If a miracle had happened with Joe, maybe…maybe it could happen with Callie.

Frank let go of Joe's hand, reached over, and hugged him tightly. "Thank you," he said. "I really don't deserve this, but I'm grateful."

Joe heard the tremor in his brother's voice, and hugged him tightly in return. "I love you, too," he joked.

Frank rubbed his eyes when he pulled apart from his brother. "Whew…." he said, under his breath.

For the first time in months, Joe watched his brother give a small, but sincere, smile.

"I guess I should head back to the hospital soon, " Frank said at last. "I need to be there for Callie. I know Van will pick you up soon."

Joe replied, "Well, I'm going with you, and I'm sure Vanessa will, too. In the meantime- have anything to eat?"

Frank burst out laughing. He couldn't remember the last time he had done that. "I guess some things never change," he said, and Joe smiled.

Opening the refrigerator, the first thing that caught his eye were the cakes from his birthday. Turning to Joe, he said, "Well, I know you won't believe this, but I saw that you had sent both Callie and me cakes for my birthday, and that was just another "clue" for me to suspect you. Again, I'm sorry," Frank finished. Then, he added, "Well, I guess we should at least have some good come out of them! You always liked the carrot cake more, right? Then again, you like chocolate, too. Take your pick! I haven't touched them. I think Callie had a couple of pieces of the cake you sent to her, though."

Joe was puzzled. "What?"

"The cake," Frank went on. "Carrot or chocolate? You choose."

"No, that's not what I mean," Joe said, stopping Frank before he could cut either one.

"What are you talking about?"

"Frank," Joe said, meeting his brother's eyes. "I never sent you a cake…"


	17. Chapter 17

**Note** : _This is a shorter chapter, so I'll post the next one tomorrow or the day after. Thanks to those of you reading, following, and reviewing! Thanks to the following people for your reviews on chapter 16: Fire Lily 68, Tin Dog (last two chapters-your feedback was amazing- thank you!), Paulina Ann, EvergreenDreamweaver, max 2013, BMSH, and Caranath._

Consequences

Chapter 17

"What?" Frank asked, not sure he had heard his brother correctly.

"I said I never sent you any cake," Joe repeated. "What makes you think that I did?"

Frank was puzzled and confused. "Well… because…I mean…" he stammered.

"Just tell me why," Joe interrupted, but before Frank could answer, the phone rang.

Still staring at Joe, Frank picked up the receiver. "Hello?" he asked, not wanting to cut short his conversation with his brother.

As Frank remained on the phone, Joe watched his brother's face as he listened to the speaker. "What? How?!" Frank mumbled into the phone. For a few brief moments, that was all that Frank said, but Joe knew instantly that something was the matter. Frank's breathing had become more shallow, and his face paled. Nervously, he ran a hand through his dark hair, ending with rubbing his eyes. "I'll be right over."

As soon as Frank hung up, Joe stood next to him. "What's the matter?" he asked instantly, more than a little afraid of actually getting an answer.

"Callie," Frank said numbly, turning to Joe. "She…just slipped into a coma." His voice was so low that Joe barely heard him.

"What? No way!" Joe asked, stunned. He was sure that he hadn't heard Frank correctly. "You must have misheard! Callie had a miscarriage; she wasn't in an accident or anything." Joe reached out and put a hand on his brother's shoulder.

"I… well, that's what they said," Frank answered him, and Joe saw that Frank was in shock at the news, as was he. Frank looked utterly lost as he stood there, unsure of what to do, of what was real or unreal.

Although Joe was in a considerable amount of pain, he realized that he had to support Frank. Somehow, he'd have to drive back to the hospital. Honestly, he had no idea how he'd do it with his head pounding and his vision still as blurry as it was. Fortunately, he didn't have to worry about it. With impeccable timing, Vanessa knocked at the door and let herself in. She stood, surprised, at the look of confusion on both Joe and Frank's faces. On one hand, she was glad Joe hadn't killed Frank or himself; she had been worried about that when she saw how upset Joe had been about talking to Frank. On the other hand, something was obviously very wrong, and she knew she had to do something.

Looking at Joe, she asked, "Honey? What is it?"

Joe walked slowly over to her and hugged her tightly. He said softly to her, "Frank just got a phone call that Callie's in bad shape. One of the doctors called to say that she was in…well, in a COMA, if you can believe that."

Vanessa felt her heart stop. "What?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

"I know," Joe answered. "It makes no sense. I ALSO know that we have to get back to the hospital—pronto—and make sure we find out what's going on. I don't know how Frank's keeping it together," Joe said, nodding in his brother's direction, noting Frank shaking his head as if in a fog.

"Oh, Joe," Vanessa sighed. She felt like crying. Callie had been through so much; it was so unfair. Still, she knew she had to be there for both Frank and Joe. Softly, she said to him, "Well, it looks like you two made up, anyhow."

"Yeah," Joe said.

"That's good."

"Uh huh."

"Joe? Let's get Frank over there right away. I'm sure…I mean, it has to be… a mistake. Frank needs to speak with her. He, you know… well, maybe he can cheer her up and talk about the wedding or something."

Joe faced his girlfriend, and his expression softened. Never, never would he allow something like what had happened to Frank and Callie to happen to her. He'd either prevent it, or die trying. He continued to be amazed that she could be such a rock at a time like this, but she was. "Van," he whispered, taking her hand, "They broke up."

"What?!" Vanessa exclaimed, far more loudly than she intended to. Her voice snapped Frank back to the present, and he looked up, as if noticing for the first time that Joe and Vanessa were standing there.

"Let's go," Joe said, motioning for his brother to follow him. The pounding in his head was getting worse, and all he wanted to do was sleep.

Ironically, it seemed to him, his nightmares occurred when he was awake.

The drive to the hospital was spent in silence. Vanessa's mind was whirling as she maneuvered her way through the streets. She silently prayed for Callie to be okay, hoping against hope that Frank had heard incorrectly. She didn't know what she would do without her best friend. She couldn't believe that Frank and Callie had broken up, either. What in the hell had happened to them…to all of them…since last summer? She was desperately worried about Joe, seeing him push himself way beyond what he should be doing so soon after his release- the very day of his release, in fact! And Frank was a mess. The rock solid, sweet, and ideal older brother had reached rock bottom, and Vanessa didn't know if he could make it back from the depths of the darkness he had fallen into.

As Vanessa parked the van at the hospital, she let Frank and Joe get out first. Frank took off at a run towards the open doors, and Vanessa heard Joe sigh under his breath before taking off after him. She could just imagine what all this movement, lack of sleep, and stress was doing for his health.

It wasn't long before Joe and Frank saw a group of nurses who were able to steer them in the right direction. Apparently, somehow, Fenton and Laura had also received the same news, and Joe and Frank bumped into them as they ran through the corridors.

"What happened?" Frank asked his father, frantic.

"I don't know," Fenton answered, trying to be calm. "We got the same phone call you did. I guess they had both numbers here since Joe had just been released, and clearly they know we're here with Callie."

The next half an hour was spent in agonizing silence as the Hardys and Vanessa waited to find out what was wrong. A nurse had come out briefly and explained that Callie's vital signs had gone wild- her blood levels were dropping, and her body was beginning to hemorrhage again. Her fever had skyrocketed without warning, and she had been rushed into the ICU.

Fenton sat holding his wife's hand and keeping a close eye on Frank. He watched as Joe and Vanessa sat nestled together, his younger son fighting exhaustion, but also watching Frank at all times. He marveled at his boys' strength as they refused to let anything permanently separate them. Apparently, they had worked out whatever issues they had. Frank sat quietly; the only indication of his complete worry and fear were his hands, which were tightly balled into fists. And he noticed that Frank had something on his thumb, which he continued to stare at, unrelentingly. Fenton could have sworn, if he didn't know better, that it was Callie's engagement ring. But… that was impossible.

As Fenton watched the scene unfold before him, he was filled with worry, with dread, and with sadness. If, God forbid, something happened to Callie, he knew Frank's life would never be the same. Looking at his sons, he wished that he had somehow been able to protect them from this nightmare. He longed for the passage of time to stop, to take him back to the day when Frank and Callie, with Joe and Vanessa in the background, had called, deliriously happy, about the engagement. He recalled Joe's chatter and teasing, Frank's voice so bright Fenton could have sworn he was beaming, and Callie, voice thick with emotion, saying, "Bye, Dad!"

And suddenly he felt anger unlike anything he had felt before. He would get these bastards if it were the last thing he ever did. No one hurt his sons, his family. Laura looked up at him questioningly as he had inadvertently squeezed her hand.

"Fenton? What is it?" she asked.

Before he could answer, a doctor came into the room and looked around.

"I need to speak with whomever is here for Callie Shaw," he said, glancing around.

Frank stood up at once. "That's me. That's us."

The doctor took a minute before continuing. He hated moments like this, moments when all of medical technology and miracles could not explain the most fundamental of problems.

Taking a deep breath, he said, simply, "I'm sorry."


	18. Chapter 18

**Note** : _Thanks to all reading and following. Thanks to the following people who kindly left much appreciated reviews on chapter 17: Ford Prefect, Tin Dog, Paulina Ann, BMSH, EvergreenDreamweaver, max2013, & Caranath_!

Consequences

Chapter 18

For a few brief moments after the doctor spoke, no one moved; it was as if time had stood still, unable to fathom the loss of one of its best. Joe was the first one to snap back to reality. In one moment, he saw his father and mother standing, frozen. He saw Vanessa's face start to crumple. And he watched as Frank sank back, unbelieving, horrified, into his seat.

"W…what?" Joe managed to stammer, looking the doctor in the eyes.

"I said I was sorry," the doctor continued. "There's no logical explanation for what's happening to Callie. She's really in a very precarious situation right now. No matter what we try to do, we can't seem to stop the bleeding. We've given her medication that has stopped the rapid blood loss, temporarily, but we have to watch her very closely. She's still running a high fever, and she's slipping in and out of a coma. Honestly, we're baffled. A miscarriage shouldn't in any way cause such a severe reaction."

Joe wasn't sure he heard correctly. He listened to the doctor's words, and then took another moment to actually process them. When he did, all he could say was, "Thank God," before shaking his head.

"Excuse me?" the doctor went on, perplexed.

"I thought Callie had … _died_!" Joe choked out the last word. "You aren't supposed to come out here and tell the family and friends of a patient that you're sorry!" he fumed. "You scared the life out of us!"

"Oh," the doctor replied, blushing, as the Hardys and Vanessa began to breathe again. "My deepest apologies. However," he went on, "Callie _is_ in serious danger. Do you know if she's taken any medication lately? Does she have a history of illness in her family? Has she experienced any pain lately or seemed out of the norm? Please…we need to help her."

Before Joe could speak, he heard his brother's voice. "No. She's been okay. She's not on any medication that I know of. Up until …I mean now…. she's been perfectly healthy." Joe was amazed as he looked at Frank, who was standing again, perfectly composed and even –mannered. There was no way any one would be able to tell that he had just inadvertently been led to believe that his fiancée had died.

"Well," the doctor replied, "All I can ask is that you recheck her home just in case this is a reaction to medication, or a severe allergic reaction to something. It's very important. In a case like this, time is of the essence." He looked straight at Frank, and the subtext to his words was frighteningly clear. "Have me paged if you discover anything. Ms. Shaw will be closely watched; she has to be."

"I understand," Frank replied, wishing they had been able to contact Callie's parents. The Shaws had decided to extend their vacation, but Callie hadn't had a chance to tell Frank where they'd moved onto before their big fight. "And I will."

With a nod, the doctor headed back in the direction from which he'd come. As soon as he left, Joe vaguely saw his parents head over to Frank's direction, and felt Vanessa clutching his hand. "Oh, Joe," she whispered, "I almost had a heart attack! What do you think is wrong with Callie?!" It took Joe a few minutes to answer her, since he was focused on Frank. Although Frank was assuring his parents that he was fine, Joe saw right away that something was wrong, and he knew he needed to speak with his brother.

Finally, he turned to Vanessa. "Van," he began, "I need you to do me a favor. Go home with my parents. Leave me the keys to the car. I need to be with Frank."

"Why?" Vanessa questioned.

"Because," he answered, simply, "he needs me."

"What about Callie?! Aren't you two going to wait here and make sure she's okay?"

Something clicked in the back of Joe's mind, and he was frustrated that he couldn't see what it was. Something in the doctor's words and Vanessa's tone had touched a flash of recognition in him, and he needed some time to figure it out. Leaning over, he gave Vanessa a kiss on the cheek. "I need some time with my brother, hon," he stated. "I just… I mean, we need to check out Frank and Callie's place. Maybe there was something Callie took." As he said it, he realized what he didn't want to be thinking. Vanessa saw it too, and he eyes widened in horror.

"Oh, Joe," she gasped. "No! Callie would NEVER think of doing something like that!" She looked at him in horror.

Joe bit his lip. It was the last thing in the world he should have been thinking. After all, how well did he know Callie? She was smart, independent, and funny. She had always been very self-sufficient. But doesn't everyone have a breaking point?! After all, she thought no one was there for her. She was pregnant. Frank had treated her terribly. She had seen Joe tortured, and been both mentally and physically hurt, herself. Jenkins had attacked her, and Nash was still at large, leaving her imagination, he assumed, to run wild.

Still looking at Vanessa, he let her words sink in as she repeated herself, more quietly than before. "No, Joe. Callie would not do it. You know as well as I do that she wouldn't. Why? Because she's CALLIE. What else should I say?"

Suicide. Surely, there would have been a better way to try it, though- right? Then he realized that maybe he SHOULD listen to Vanessa. Even if she did want to take her own life, Callie would never have killed her child. Then, with a bit of a relieved sigh, Joe tossed that idea aside, too. "You're right," he said at last. "She's CALLIE. And the Callie Shaw I know is stronger than that."

Vanessa smiled at last, the exhaustion of the day's events finally showing on her face. "I'll listen to you, Joe. Be there for Frank. Look out for Callie. And, please, baby- take care of yourself. You're hardly in shape for all of …this." She gesticulated with her hand in the air. "You can't help anyone if you're sick, okay?" Her eyes reflected her concern.

Joe slipped an arm around her shoulders. "I love you," he said quietly, and gently kissed her. "I'll be okay. Let me see Frank. We have to try and help Callie."

"I love you, too," Vanessa answered, and squeezed his hand. "Let me get your parents."

In less than fifteen minutes, Joe's parents left with Vanessa, and Joe turned to Frank. His steady reaction at a time he should have been crushed was throwing Joe for a loop. Frank had been running when he should have been staying put, and now he was calm when he should have been crying. In all, he was acting totally out of character.

"Um…are you okay?" Joe asked.

"Yeah. Look, Joe," Frank added, "I need to see Callie, and then I have to head home. If there's something that I can find to help Callie…I will."

"I know," Joe answered, resolutely.

Joe followed his brother to Callie's room, curious and anxious to see her, himself. None of this made any sense. Medication? What type of medication could she have taken?

When Joe first looked at Callie, he swallowed, hard. Although she didn't look ill, covered with bruises or broken bones, she looked…dead. The very thought make him shudder. Callie was so pale. She almost looked like she blended in to the sheets that now covered her. It took Joe another minute before he realized that a nurse was in the room. They must be worried, he thought, concerned. When the nurse saw Frank and Joe enter the room, she left, with a quick, "I'm right outside if you need me."

Joe thanked her, and then watched as Frank went into the room. "I'll leave you alone for a minute," he said, but Frank didn't seem to hear him. What Joe saw next amazed him. Frank didn't break down in tears, or even start to talk to Callie. Instead, he simply took her hand, kissed it, and then reached into his own pocket and took out Callie's ring. He slipped it onto her finger even though, Joe noticed, it was her right hand this time. "Don't you leave me," Frank said, in a low voice. "This is my promise to you that I'll fight for you, but you need to fight, too."

Then, he cupped her face with both of his hands, and whispered, "Heaven doesn't need another angel."

It was a moment of such raw tenderness that Joe actually felt tears begin to form in his eyes. Although he'd seen Frank and Callie together most of his life, and witnessed their shared affection and happiness, Joe sensed in that moment just what pure love looked like. This was the one side to his brother that he'd never borne witness to, much like Frank would never know what it was like, really LIKE, with him and Vanessa. He felt like he had just invaded his brother's privacy, seen in a minute what a lifetime of words couldn't express. Silently, he vowed to do something to get Frank and Callie back together when…if…she got better.

Slipping out of the room, Joe noticed Frank follow just second after him. Realizing that Frank must have seen him there, he started to apologize. "Frank, I'm sorry if…"

"Let's go," Frank said, gruffly. "I need to help her."

The way back to Frank's apartment was spent in silence. Frank drove because, although he was terribly worried about Callie, he saw that Joe was too weak, himself, to drive. Joe had smiled inwardly when Frank had requested the keys. He knew, then, that Frank wasn't mad at him. Rather, he was slowly returning to the old Frank, the concerned older brother who thought of others before himself. That, Joe surmised, had to be a positive switch.

Once back at the apartment, Frank turned to his brother. "Joe, I want to thank you for helping me."

"What? You've got to be kidding," Joe answered. "Callie's my future sister-in-law."

"Maybe," Frank replied, clearing his throat. Joe knew he was holding back tears.

"She IS," Joe said emphatically, patting his brother's back. "And she's going to be fine. We ALL are," he finished, as an afterthought.

Frank paused a moment. "In the hospital, when the doctor said he was sorry…that one moment…" Frank took a deep breath, holding out hope that his emotions wouldn't overtake him. "That was one of the worst moments of my life." He didn't know why he was confessing this to Joe. Part of him just wanted to keep moving, to do anything but stop and think about his life. Somehow, though, having Joe not only okay but accepting him back into his good graces made Frank realize how much he needed his little brother in his life.

"I know that," Joe said, and then smiled. "Now let's go find out if we can solve the mystery of the perilous prescription plan, okay?"

Frank laughed, and he actually surprised himself that he was still able to smile with his life crumbling around him. Only Joe could make light of something this serious. "You got it, buddy," he replied, and they split up to search the apartment. In the next half an hour, Frank and Joe checked the pantry, medicine closets, refrigerator…any place from which Callie might have taken something or have had a reaction towards.

Finally, Frank sat down at the table, frustrated. "I don't know," he said, getting angry. "I can't find anything."

"Well, your apartment is pretty clean," Joe joked, hoping to lift the mood.

Frank sighed. "That's not funny. Can you think of anything?"

"No," Joe answered, opening the refrigerator and looking for a snack. Then, he realized what had been bothering him earlier that he hadn't been able to put his finger on. Getting up slowly, trying to ignore the pain in his side and his head, Joe walked over and took out the two cakes that were sitting on the top shelf.

"Hungry?" Frank asked, disheartened.

"No," Joe answered, suddenly feeling sick. "But I have a question for you."

"Mmm?" Frank murmured, looking up.

"Before…when we were here… you said that I had sent these cakes to Callie."

"Yeah?" Frank asked, still drawing a blank.

"I didn't," Joe said, point blank, deciding not to mince words.

"What?"

"I didn't, Frank. I never sent you OR Callie cakes. Where did these come from?!"

Suddenly, Frank stood up, beginning to realize what Joe was getting at. He actually felt the color drain from his face. "Look at the card. It's right on top. I mean, it's a plain white box that says CAKE—hardly suspicious. You MUST have sent it," he went on, feeling himself losing control.

"No, I didn't," Joe answered again, and looked at the card. Nervously, he looked at his brother. "Frank?" he asked. "Since when do I call myself, 'Joey'?"

"What?" Frank gasped, pulling the card from Joe's hands. He felt the breath sucked away from him. "We need to look at these—maybe get it tested! But…where?" Frank knew he was grasping at straws, but something about the whole situation was very wrong.

"Let's call Dad," Joe suggested. "Maybe a contact in the police labs could get on this-like, now."

Close to six hours later, Frank, Joe, and Fenton were waiting at a nearby police station in Bayport. They used their old contact, Con Riley, to pull some strings, and were waiting for the results. He, along with Peter Davis, who was working with Fenton on the Cape May case, allowed the lab to be opened. Silently, they all awaited an answer they already knew. Each was trying to consider what to do in his own way.

A few minutes later, Con came out, a perplexed expression on his face.

"What is it, Con?" Fenton asked, immediately.

Con looked incredulously at the three men in front of him, who looked tired, worn, confused, and upset. "You're not going to believe this," Con said, quietly, as he was used to speaking with families for so long. "But the cakes that you brought in…." His voice trailed off.

"What is it, Con?" Frank asked in a strained voice. He had been gripping the handle of the chair so hard his knuckles had turned white.

"The chocolate one… it's fine."

"What?" Fenton asked, half-relieved that his theory was wrong and half-angry that he had to start again.

"But the carrot one…." Con went on, swallowing hard. "We found traces of rare herbs …large traces of them…all over the cake. The herbs are called pennyroil and blue cohash. They're very toxic and they're used…gosh, I'm sorry, Frank."

"They're used for what?!" Joe asked, standing now. The whole scene seemed surreal.

Con coughed. He couldn't believe he had to tell Frank Hardy this. He'd known Frank since he was a little boy; watched him grow up. He didn't deserve what he was about to hear. He decided to just tell the truth. "In large doses, they cause massive hemorrhaging. They're most often used to induce abortion."

Frank felt his world close in on him, and he knew he was going to be sick. Opening the door to the back office, with which he had become so familiar over the years, he ran through it to the bathroom, where he vomited. Somebody had tried to kill Callie. Somebody had killed his baby.

Fenton watched as Joe went to comfort his brother, realizing that the news had not completely sunken in yet with Joe. In shock, Fenton turned to Con. "You're sure?" he asked.

"I am, Fenton. I'm sorry."

Taking a deep breath, Fenton tried to collect his thoughts. Okay. At least now, they knew how to help Callie. "We have to look at this cake, the box, the location of where these herbs could have come from, their availability…" As a father, his heart ached. As an investigator, he instinctively went into analytical mode.

"Well, the herbs are available, but they're hard to get to. Most likely, someone in a drug cartel would have access to them. We also know they're found in largely rural areas," Con answered, trying to help.

"Like the Pine Barrens!"

Fenton heard a voice behind him, and realized it was Joe's. He was standing with his arm around his brother's shoulders. Frank looked like he was about to collapse.

For the first time, Fenton HEARD what Joe was saying and gasped.

"My GOD! The Pine Barrens!" he shouted.

"Cape May," Joe answered.

"Nash," Frank managed through clenched teeth.

Con looked at the Hardys standing before him, and he realized the implications of what they were saying right away. Fenton, Pete Davis, and others had been working this case nonstop. It was impossible, but it was true. Nash hadn't finished trying to destroy their family.

"Oh!" he gasped out loud. "Nash- he tried to take Callie's life. He…he took the baby's!"

"And…" Frank said quietly, his voice deadly calm, "I'll take his."

The menace and the utter hatred in his voice shocked them all into silence.


	19. Chapter 19

**Note** : _Thank you again to all those reading and following, and especially for those of you who have been so kind to leave reviews: Paulina Ann, David Fishwick, BMSH, Caranath, max2013, and EvergreenDreamweaver for your reviews on the last chapter. You are appreciated! Happy Father's Day to all who are celebrating._

Consequences

Chapter 19

Joe pulled into the hospital parking lot several days later. He turned off the radio, which he had put on full blast, in order to drown out his thoughts. Turning off the ignition, he took a few moments to close his eyes and let his mind wander, preparing himself for today.

When they had discovered what caused Callie's miscarriage and near death, Joe had immediately called the hospital. Knowing the source of Callie's severe bleeding had allowed the doctors to help her and, gradually, she woke up and was beginning to get better. He knew all of this from Vanessa, who had been with Callie the entire time. He, along with Frank and their father, were working overtime to try and locate Nash. There was no option now; he was obviously a real, viable threat to all of their lives.

It wasn't working on the case that he found so upsetting; it was watching his brother unravel. Frank was becoming consumed with finding Nash. He'd spend hours methodically going over every scrap of paper, every piece of evidence, every possible lead there could be. Joe didn't need to know WHY—if the situation was reversed, he'd be the same way. This one …person…had almost destroyed his brother's life, and he hoped against hope that Frank wouldn't allow him to fully destroy it now.

Joe had spent the last few days trying to get his brother to sleep, to eat, to do something to indicate that he knew this was a team effort; he was there for him, and they would do this together. On more than one occasion, Joe remembered seeing his father look at Frank with great concern, thinking the same things he was. Frank wouldn't even visit Callie in the hospital, something so inexplicable to Joe that he couldn't even fathom it. Inadvertently, Joe flashed back to a conversation that he had with Frank only last night.

 _"Slow down, big brother."_

 _Frank looked at him with eyes so determined and dark that it had almost taken his breath away. "I can't," he said._

 _"We're in this together," he emphasized, again. He found himself praying that Frank wouldn't do something stupid. "Come on, Frank. Go see Callie. Vanessa told me she's starting to come around."_

 _"No."_

 _"What?"_

 _"No," Frank repeated. Finally, he looked up at Joe and seemed to SEE him for the first time. "I can't, Joe. She needs time. She needs to heal. She doesn't need a reminder."_

 _"She needs you."_

 _"You don't understand," Frank said, quietly, and that had been it._

 _"Frank, please…promise me you won't do anything on your own. I'm here, Dad's here. The POLICE are here. We all want to help you…to help Callie…to help ME, and Vanessa, and everyone who was hurt as a result of last summer. Promise me, Frank."_

But Frank hadn't answered. Now, Joe found himself in the position that he knew his brother had been in many times before—worrying that his sibling was finally going to fly off the handle, once and for all.

With a sigh, Joe got out of the car and slammed the door shut. _He's been through so much already…we all have. PLEASE…let this be the end._

As Joe got on the elevator and pressed the button for the floor where Callie's room was, he found himself wishing that he'd taken the time to think of a plan before he got here. Vanessa was supposed to have picked Callie up, but Joe had insisted. He needed to see her, and he knew he had no right to. Somehow, some way, he was praying that Callie would be able to help him bring Frank back to the land of the living. He realized it was probably wrong to ask her, given everything that had happened, but he had to try. If there was one person who could talk sense into his brother, it was Callie.

Joe stepped off the elevator and stopped outside Callie's room.

 _Great—now what?_ He took a moment to chide himself for not taking the time to think in advance...to not be his brother. Callie would be returning to the apartment she shared with Frank, but he had no idea for how long. Vanessa had told her about Nash and what he'd done to her, and she hadn't taken it well. _What more does she have to go through?_ He asked himself silently.

Taking a deep breath, Joe entered the room and found himself looking at Callie, who was sitting on the edge of her bed waiting for her ride. Wearing jeans and a sweatshirt that were now hanging loosely on her, and having her long hair pulled back in a ponytail, Joe realized just how _young_ she looked at that moment. _And …hopeless. She looks defeated._ He almost had to turn away. This person was not the Callie he had come to know over the years.

"Hey," he said at last, moving over next to her. He sat down on the bed.

Startled, Callie looked up at him. "Oh, hi. Is Vanessa coming?" Her voice was quiet, small…like a child's.

"No," he said, feeling his heart ache at the look in her eyes. "I wanted to come and get you myself. I... I thought we might talk." _I sound like an idiot!_ he realized, and changed his tactic. "I wanted to make sure you were okay." _Well, there. That was the truth._

Callie raised a trembling hand to her temple and rubbed her head. "No, Joe. I'm not."

Instinctively, Joe reached out for Callie and wrapped an arm around her. He expected her to pull away, to try and disassociate from anyone related to Frank. Instead, she looked at him for a moment and then burst into tears. Her shoulders were trembling and her bottom lip was quivering.

"Oh, Callie," he said softly as he pulled her into his arms. "I'm so sorry."

Joe held her for what seemed to be a long time and he felt his own heart breaking. Callie was too good of a person, too kind and innocent, to have the horrors inflicted upon her. He couldn't even imagine what it was like to lose your child and your future spouse, to have your whole world turned upside down, to feel abandoned and alone. Well, that wasn't exactly true. He shared a bond with Callie that no one else would ever understand—the unyielding love for his brother. And Frank had abandoned them both. The difference was he was getting over it. Callie wasn't. Holding her, he was beginning to doubt if she ever would.

Slowly, Callie pulled away from him, trying to dry her eyes. She was pale and weak and, he could tell, still in some physical pain as well. Before he could say anything, she spoke.

"Thanks, Joe," she whispered. "I…I needed that."

Reaching for her hand, Joe took it and squeezed it, continuing to hold it as he spoke with her. "I am here for you, always, Callie. Please believe that."

Turning to him, her dark eyes shining with tears, she said softly, "I don't believe in always anymore."

"Oh, Callie," he sighed. "I can't even begin to understand the terrible pain you've been through. I'm so sorry about…the baby…" He felt awkward even saying it.

Squeezing his hand, she replied, "Why? Why, Joe? Why did he do it? I just made one mistake…I took some stupid pictures. If he wanted to kill me, fine. But why my baby?!" Callie's voice was choked with sobs.

"I don't know," Joe said honestly and released her hand. Quickly he hugged her and kissed her cheek. "But I PROMISE you…no matter what the consequences are…we'll find him, Cal, and make him pay."

"It won't be enough," she whispered.

"I know," Joe replied. What could he say? It was the truth.

"I want to go home, Joe," Callie said at last, numbly.

"I'll take you. You can go back to the apartment and rest."

"No," she said, cutting him off. "Home. To Bayport. I…I can't deal with school now. I can get a leave of absence. And, you know, the apartment's there, and…"

"And Frank," he said

She nodded, weakly.

"Cal, I know this isn't my place…" Man, he hated even saying this. It really WASN'T his place. Still, he was going to try. "Callie, I just want you to know. I mean, Frank's really sorry. He…he loves you, more than you know. He…"

"Stop."

"What?"

"I said stop," she repeated, and held up her hand. She met his eyes, and stood up weakly. Joe noticed how she still kept a hand on her stomach, as if trying to make the nightmare go away.

"I'm sorry," he found himself saying.

"Joe, I will not do this. I won't." She was trembling, and the pain in her eyes was so deep Joe didn't have the heart to interrupt her. "Your brother accused me of cheating on him—with you, of all people. He…he called me horrible, unimaginable names. I felt like I was dying. For months…MONTHS, Joe… he was thinking I betrayed him and feeling that I was his worst enemy…all while I was PREGNANT, with his child, and loving him more than I loved anyone in the world."

"I know," Joe said weakly. "Do you really hate him that much?"

Tears streaming down her face, Callie looked at Joe. "No. I love him that much, and that's why everything is unbearable. I don't have a life anymore, Joe—don't you see that?!" She threw up her hands for emphasis, sobbing. "I have no child, no future husband, no best friend. When we broke up, and I lost Frank, I lost everything good in my life. Here—give him this." Calming herself down, Callie reached onto her finger and removed her engagement ring, holding it out to Joe. "I…I don't know how I got this. I know...I mean, I THINK I do, that I gave it back to Frank." She held out the ring to him.

"He gave it back to you," Joe said quietly, "because he loves you."

"How do you get past what…he did?" Callie asked him. Defeated, she turned to him.

"Because I love him. Because he made horrible choices, but he's a good, decent person, and he'll learn from them. Because if anyone in this life ever deserved a break, it's my brother."

Slipping her ring into Joe's hand, Callie whispered, shakily, "Sometimes the consequences of our actions can never be forgiven." She looked into his eyes. "And you understand that."

Joe paused for a full minute before answering. "Yes. I do."

Slipping an arm around her, Joe helped Callie up and guided her to the elevator. She deserved some comfort, and time to grieve. "I'm taking you home, sis," he said, without thinking.

Callie just looked at him and smiled sadly.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"I don't understand it, Pete!" Fenton said in frustration to the detective from the Cape May police force. "We've been working for days…months, really, when you think about it…and we can't seem to get a lead on this guy!"

"I know," Pete said sympathetically, and he reached for a cup of coffee. They were sitting in the Bayport Police Department, and reviewing any evidence they could find. "It's frustrating. But these guys are good- they get what they want."

Fenton sighed, and then looked up. "How do you know so much about this group? You've only been assisting Con over the last three weeks or so."

"Well," he said quickly, "Come on, Fenton. You're being jumpy. I've seen the files. I know what these guys can do. I'm in Bayport temporarily, as you know. Since my home office is out of Cape May, I was there when everything went down. We saw the photos of the dead bodies…we know what Nash and Jenkins are capable of."

Fenton paused, and then gave a small grin. "You're right- I'm sorry. It's just when I think of what they did to my sons… to my daughter-in-law... well, almost…it's hard to think straight. I feel so useless."

"Don't," Pete replied. "We all hit walls sometimes."

"Well, at least Jenkins is out of the way," Fenton said. "It's amazing how much damage one man can do on his own."

"It's not one man; it's a gang, don't forget."

Biting his lip, Fenton studied this cop with interest. Yes, it was a gang…but clearly, a personal vendetta was at stake in this case. A group or gang would not get involved with personal issues. The stakes would be too high. Surely, Pete should know that. Fenton knew he was getting tired, but not THAT tired. "Mmmmm…" he murmured. He found that letting people talk was often a good strategy for finding out what they were about. He had a strange feeling that this guy was holding something out on him, and he was determined to find out what.

Fenton finally spoke. "What evidence do we have? Did we trace back to a bakery that would have these types of boxes?" There HAD to be some sort of explanation for the stamp on the boxes.

"No matches, but we're still looking into it."

 _Great. Now I'll have more time to watch my oldest boy fall apart._ The answer wasn't acceptable. "Well, this is a priority. As long as Nash is still at large, my family is in danger. I think there's been enough tragedy so far."

At that moment, Frank walked in and silently sat down. The tension hung thick in the air. "We're still looking, Frank," Fenton said honestly.

"So am I," Frank said curtly. Fenton bit his lip. Frank looked awful; tired, thinner, OLDER somehow, as though he had passed the prime of his life at 22. Fenton would be damned if he'd let that happen.

Finally, Pete broke the silence. "Well…" He cleared his throat. "There is some evidence that we've been looking into. It's purely circumstantial at this point, but…" He blushed. "I really shouldn't tell you this. It's not public yet."

"What?!" Fenton asked, sitting up straight.

"I…well, I shouldn't say…I don't know if I can make it happen."

"Oh, you WILL make it happen," Fenton cut in. He stood up. Frank just stared, hanging on to every word. "My family will not go another day – another minute- in unnecessary danger. What do you know?" He couldn't care less if he was threatening an officer.

Finally, Pete spoke. "Well, we traced pennyroyal and cohash back to several sources. Obviously, they're not THAT hard to get. But…standing to reason, the closest area in which we know there has been illicit dealing is in Wildwood, an area near Cape May. Right outside the town, there's a sketchy area… there's no guarantee that Nash got it from there, or that he'd still be in the area…but, based on that and the fact that he's been spotted-"

"What?!" Frank cried, standing up. "Nash has been spotted?!"

"It's a totally unconfirmed report."

"Where?!"

"Um..." Pete floundered.

"My son asked you where," Fenton said, coldly and evenly. Why on earth hadn't the police acted on this sooner? He'd have to ask Con when he got back from his business trip to Chicago.

Finally, Pete gave in. "About 10 miles north of Wildwood."

Frank and Fenton stared at Pete, and then turned and left the office.

Fenton couldn't comprehend why they hadn't been told this before. Frank was blinded by a burning in his soul to do something…now.

Later that night, after Fenton briefed Joe on what was going on, Frank and Joe retired at their parents' house and headed to bed.

Fenton nodded off, thinking of the case.

Joe took out Callie's ring one more time, not having the heart to return it to his brother.

And Frank, deep in the night, surreptitiously crept down the stairs and left the house. He would get Nash—alone. This was his fight to win, and if he lost...he'd die fighting.


	20. Chapter 20

**Note:** _Many thanks to those reading and reviewing. Special thanks to those who left reviews since the last chapter was posted: Caranath, BMSH, Max 2013, Paulina Ann, EvergreenDreamweaver, and TinDog. Your thoughts were much appreciated!_

Consequences

Chapter 20

Joe groaned the next morning as sunshine streamed through his bedroom window. Turning over, he momentarily forgot everything that was happening in the real world as he tried to lose himself in his dreams. However, it was not to be. Almost as soon as he closed his eyes, Joe heard the sound of his alarm clock ringing. Going to swat it to make it stop, he forgot that he had placed it on the dresser at the far side of the room.

Turning over, he pulled the pillow over his eyes. The music would not stop. After tossing and turning for at least ten minutes, he finally heard himself growl, "SHUT UP!" With a sigh, he finally gave in. Rubbing his eyes, Joe hesitantly got out of bed and made his way across the room, stopping to turn off the alarm.

"Well, it served its purpose," he grumbled, stopping to stretch his arms. He contemplated taking a shower or going back to sleep, and then decided on the latter. Silently promising that he would only let himself sleep for another half an hour, he happily settled himself back into bed and pulled the covers to his chin. For one brief, shining moment, he felt like a little kid again, safe and sound in his bed at his parents' house. He could almost envision the huge breakfast that his mother would make and almost by instinct, he felt his stomach growl. Suppressing a smile, he happily closed his eyes.

 _RING. RING._

"You've GOT to be kidding me," he moaned. It was only 8:00.

 _RING. RING._

With a final sigh, Joe finally accepted that sleep was not meant to be that morning and somewhat angrily, he picked up the phone. "What?!" he said into the receiver.

"Excuse me?!"

With an inner sigh, Joe recognized the voice immediately. This was not his morning. Immediately, he changed his tone.

"Hey, Baby," he replied to Vanessa.

"Since when do you answer the phone like that?!"

"Since I didn't know I would be awakened by the voice of an angel," he replied in his most flattering voice.

Almost at once, he heard Vanessa's infectious giggle and felt his own smile begin to form. He felt the familiar warm sensation come to his cheeks when he thought about his girlfriend. Through thick and thin, she'd always been there for him He'd never really felt that kind of unconditional love before and that little voice in the back of his head was telling him…again… that maybe …MAYBE… it was time to take that next step. _But not yet,_ he told himself silently. _Not until this nightmare with Frank and Callie is over. If it ever is,_ he had to add silently.

Vanessa's voice brought him back to reality. "All right, Mr. Charmer," he heard her say. "You know, you get more corny every day!"

"I'm all ears, Baby!" he quipped, unable to help himself. "There's a kernel of truth in it."

"Shut up, Joe," she replied, laughing. "That's too much poor humor for this time of the morning."

"So, then—why are you calling? Not that I'm complaining, mind you," he replied, sitting up and shifting the phone to cradle it between his neck and his ear as he slipped on a robe.

Almost at once, he could hear the tone change in Vanessa's voice simply through her silence. "What's wrong?" he asked immediately.

"I've been trying to call Callie all morning, and she's not answering the phone," Vanessa replied slowly. "I know you picked her up from the hospital yesterday. I just…you know… wanted to make sure she was all right."

With a start, Joe realized he hadn't had a chance to tell Vanessa everything that had happened last night. For the next ten minutes or so, he found himself explaining everything to her; how Callie had been staying at home, not the apartment; how she had given him her engagement ring; how they might have a new lead in the case. Strangely, as he spoke with her, he felt a renewed sense of calm come over him. When he was done, he sat back and listened for Vanessa's reaction.

"Well," she said at last, "I'm so glad that you have a lead to think about. Someone's got to stop Nash—now. Just be careful, Joe- promise me."

"I will," he promised, touched by her ongoing concern for him.

"I'll call Callie at her house, then," Vanessa replied. "Maybe I'll even go see her. Let me know how things are going. Call me, okay?"

"Of course." Joe smiled. He was feeling better.

"I love you," he heard her say. "Talk to you later."

"I love you, too," he replied, right before hanging up. Maybe today wouldn't turn out to be such a bad day after all.

Realizing that he was far too awake at the moment to even think about sleep, he gave into the inevitable and decided to wake himself up fully. It was close to an hour later when he emerged from the bathroom showered, dressed and ready to start the day. Putting on his watch, he noticed Callie's ring on the dresser and felt a twinge in his heart. He instinctively flashed back to that day in Cape May when his brother, absolutely glowing, had shown him the ring. He had been so happy, so full of joy at the promise of spending his life with the woman whom he loved so much. He couldn't believe how that moment seemed to have taken place a lifetime ago. So very much had changed….

Shaking off the thought, Joe went to his brother's old room and knocked on the door. When Frank didn't answer, he knocked louder. Finally, he opened the door, crooning, "Come on sleeping beauty!" To his surprise, he saw Frank wasn't there.

Shaking off the uneasiness in the pit of his stomach, he tried to convince himself that it was perfectly logical for his brother not to be in bed. Going downstairs, he noticed that Frank wasn't there, either. There was no television on, and no morning newspapers strewn about. Now he was beginning to get a little nervous in spite of himself. Fighting back any fears, he decided to remain calm for another half an hour in the event that Frank went for a morning run or some other type of exercise. For some ungodly reason unknown to him, Frank liked to get up early and physically exercise rather than exercise his right to sleep. It had always driven him crazy over the years.

Walking around aimlessly, Joe found himself flipping through television stations. He realized he wasn't hungry anymore, a rarity for him. Suddenly, an idea hit him. Racing to the front door, he flung it open. Frank's car was gone.

Slowly, Joe felt the color begin to drain from his face and felt his heart begin to hammer in his chest. "He wouldn't…." he whispered to himself, fighting his worst fears. Biting his lip, Joe ran to the kitchen and dialed the first person he could think of. On the third ring, she picked up.

"Callie?" he asked, knowing he sounded breathless.

"Joe?" she whispered, her voice raspy.

He realized that he had probably awakened her, and that she still sounded visibly upset, even at this hour of the morning. Knowing that he had to remain calm so as not to frighten her, he said, gently, "Yeah- it's me. Cal—did Frank call you last night? This morning? He's not over there, is he?"

"No," Callie replied shakily. "Why?"

Closing his eyes, Joe swallowed the lump in his throat. "No reason. Thanks. Sorry I woke you."

"Is everything okay?" she asked him.

"Sure," he replied, and hung up the phone.

Running down to his father's office, he played a hunch that his dad would be awake. He was right. As he burst through the door, he startled his father, who looked lost in paperwork of some sort.

"What's the matter?!" Fenton asked, shocked.

"It's Frank!" he managed, trying to calm himself. It wasn't working.

"Wha…"

Joe interrupted him. "It's Frank, Dad," he repeated, looking imploringly into his father's eyes. "He went after Nash. He's gone!"

For a moment, their eyes met in horror….

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It had only taken Frank a few hours to arrive in the general area of Wildwood, where he drove around aimlessly for a little while trying to think of what to do next. When he finally had the presence of mind to pull over at a rest stop for some coffee, he realized how tense he was. He had been gripping the steering wheel so hard that his knuckles had turned white. His shoulders and his neck ached. Taking a deep breath, he leaned forward, resting his head on the steering wheel. It scared him that he couldn't recall exactly where he was or how he had gotten there. It was as though a higher force was leading him, and he was the passenger.

Almost at once, he felt tears spring to his eyes, which he fought back. _No time for that now_ , he muttered silently. Still rubbing his eyes, he thought only of Nash, of revenge. The same horrible images that had plagued him all summer now flashed through his brain—Joe in the cabin, beaten almost to death… Joe in the hospital clinging to life…Vanessa in tears, his parents barely holding on… And Callie terrified, in pain…the choice… and their child. The guilt was overwhelming. He had to do something to try and make things right. He couldn't move on, no one could, until Nash paid for what he had done.

Part of him knew, logically, that he should have waited for backup. Joe would kill him, and his father would be out of his mind with worry. Still, the one thing that Frank wasn't afraid of was being hurt or his own death. The pain he had suffered all these months, the pain he had caused his brother and fiancée, seemed by far more horrible than anything he could conjure up. Besides, when it came down to it, this was his battle to win. He had lost so much already.

With a sigh, he got out of the car and stretched, walking inside to the rest area. Going into a doughnut shop, he grabbed a large cup of coffee and a plain bagel. He wasn't hungry, but he knew he would need some stamina today. Deciding to wait for a few minutes before returning to the car, he walked aimlessly about, hoping some sort of plan would come to him. After all, he was here in Wildwood -but now what?! This kind of leave it all to chance attitude was straight from Joe's line of thinking. With a sad smile, he realized that in recent weeks, they'd sort of changed roles. Joe was being responsible, cautious and practical, and here HE was—driving around with no plan in mind. Had it been under different circumstances, this might actually be funny. _But_ , he reminded himself, _this is no joke._

As he was about to leave, something caught his attention out of the corner of his eye. Next to some local t-shirts, he saw a small stand that contained maps. _Of course!_ He said silently. _I'll need these to get here - locally._

Going back out to his car, Frank found himself looking over the maps he had just purchased. As he sat down, he tried to logically put together all the pieces of the puzzle. He knew Nash had been spotted around here. He knew there were illicit drug dealings. He tried to recall as much as he could about what his father's associate, Pete, had told them. Suddenly, it dawned on him as he studied the map. Nash would be isolated; he would want someplace small where he could move about inconspicuously.

"But WHY?!" Frank said out loud. "He knows it's dangerous to be around here! Why would he risk all of this…for me?! For Dad?!" With a heavy sigh, Frank shook his head. None of this made any sense. Nash was going to an awful lot of trouble to get revenge against his family. Would he really risk getting caught—because of them?! Didn't he have bigger issues to worry about?!

Still, as these thoughts ventured through his mind, Frank continued to study the maps-and he saw it. About 15 miles off the boardwalk there was an uncultivated area…a region that no one would even think about looking for him or for anyone. It was far enough away from the town of Wildwood, itself, to be noticeable, but too close so that anyone in his right mind wouldn't think to hide. "Oldest trick in the book," Frank muttered, angry for not seeing it earlier. "Hide in plain sight!"

Driving at record speeds, Frank soon arrived at the outskirts of the rather broad area where he would begin his search. Making sure that he had his cell phone with him, Frank took a deep breath before beginning his search. "For you, Callie. For you, Joe." He said these words out loud to himself, but saying them comforted him and gave him a purpose.

Several hours later and after much searching, Frank was almost ready to give up. He was tired, angry, frustrated, and beginning to think he'd been on the wrong path all along. Turning back, he was about to head back to the car in the very far distance when he heard a noise. Ducking down, he held his breath as the noises, which he now identified as voices, made their way to him. Within minutes, Frank caught a glimpse of a person talking to someone else. He recognized Nash almost immediately.

Instantly, he felt the color rise to his cheeks and he looked, with a fury that he'd never felt in his life, at the man who had cost him his child, his love, and almost his brother. He felt his shoulders shaking with such anger that he almost didn't recognize himself. He waited impatiently for the other man to turn in the opposite direction. When Nash was alone and about to turn away, he sprang from the bushes with lightning speed.

Whirling around, Nash gasped and just managed to evade Frank's charge.

Gathering his strength, Frank turned and faced Nash. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Frank noticed the absolutely startled look on his face. He would have had time to think about why Nash seemed to have no idea why he was there, if only he hadn't felt someone come up to him from behind and shove him violently to the ground. Within moments, he was restrained, and as he tried to focus through blurred vision, he barely heard Nash's words.

"Frank Hardy! What brings you here?! Welcome home."

A sharp kick in the kidneys left him gasping for air. The last thing he saw was Nash—he had looked into the eyes of Satan.

And he was back in hell.


	21. Chapter 21

**Note:** _Thank you to those who were so kind as to leave reviews on the last chapter: TinDog, Caranath, EvergreenDreamweaver, Drumboy100, Paulina Ann, BMSH, and max2013._

Consequences

Chapter 21

Frank eyed his surroundings with disgust. He had regained consciousness a short while ago and found himself tied to a chair, bound hand and foot, and he finally admitted to himself that it had been stupid to try and track down Nash alone. But the anger, the hatred, and the rage had been so overwhelming last night…he couldn't wait. He didn't want to ask his brother for help. Joe had almost died in the last confrontation with Nash. Frank was not about to put his brother in the line of fire again.

' _Maybe I should have asked Dad,'_ Frank thought, contemplating how he could escape. ' _Nah, he would've had a fit. I promised him I'd let the police take care of Nash.'_

The sound of the door opening brought all thoughts of escape to a grinding halt as he came face to face with the man he had grown to despise.

' _If only looks really could kill,'_ Frank thought with utter contempt.

"Hello, Frank." Nash smiled at him, pulling up a chair as if he were about to catch up with an old friend he hadn't seen in a long time. "I must say I was a little surprised by your visit. But also flattered. Now tell me, why are you here?"

Frank bit back a reply, knowing how utterly ridiculous he would sound as he was the one currently at the mercy of Nash.

"So, tell me, how's your little brother?" He smiled evilly, thoroughly enjoying the look of rage on Frank's face.

"Ah, you still haven't forgiven me for that little prank, have you? Now, really how is Joe? Any lingering effects from his ordeal?" Nash questioned him hopefully. "No? That's too bad. He should be dead you know. He's got a lot of spunk, I'll give him that. At least now, I know the next time I try that, I need to drag the body a little longer. You know, just to make _sure_ they're dead." He leaned towards Frank, conspiratorially, as if sharing a joke.

"Hmmm, what else can we talk about? What else do we have in common?" Nash sat back, crossing one leg over his knee, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "Ah! Your pretty fiancée. Is she still your fiancée? Or has she finally dumped you for your brother?"

"Don't you _DARE_ talk about her, you son of a bitch!" Frank exploded, Nash having finally pushed the right button.

"Why are you angry with me?" Nash asked, shocked. "I mean the fact that your brother was sleeping around with your fiancée wasn't my fault. I just exposed them. You should be thanking me for that."

"Liar!" Frank hissed at him. "They NEVER slept together!"

"And you know this how?" Nash asked, amused.

Frank stared at him, his blood boiling as the rage churned inside him. Rage at himself and Nash. A rage so strong, Frank could feel himself shaking.

Nash chuckled watching him. "You watched the video, didn't you?" He leaned forward, grinning widely. "They were good, huh? I told them if they went into porn videos they could make a fortune."

"But didn't you tell them you wouldn't even watch that video?" he pondered. "Yet you did. Because no matter what your heart wanted to believe, you really thought they were screwing around didn't you? Tsk, tsk, tsk. I'm so disappointed in you, Frank. They trusted you, they believed in you. And you…"

"SHUT UP!" Frank screamed so loud it felt as if his head would explode. "They never slept together! They wouldn't do that to me!" He could feel the veins on his neck throbbing with the effort, as he felt himself losing control, going over the edge.

Guilt and shame flooded over him and he desperately fought back tears, having to admit Nash was right. He _had_ believed. For months, Frank had believed Joe and Callie had betrayed him, were still betraying him, and he wasn't sure that even when this was all over, if he would ever be able to live with himself. He knew he would never forgive himself – ever.

Nash sat back watching Frank go off the deep end, actually feeling let down that it didn't really take much to push him there.

"You almost killed my brother!" Frank yelled. "You DID kill my unborn child!"

"What?" Nash asked, genuinely surprised. "She was pregnant?" Nash sat back and digested this information, a small smile playing at his lips. "Are you sure it was yours and not your brother's?"

Finally losing all semblance of control, Frank bellowed incoherently. Nash's smile grew even wider feeding the rage that had completely consumed Frank. Struggling against his bonds in vain, Frank spewed curses at Nash, who appeared to be enjoying himself immensely. Sitting back, Nash let Frank rant and rave until he was utterly exhausted. Watching Frank glare at him, panting for breath, his forehead glistening with sweat, Nash pursed his lips in thought.

"I don't know, Frank. I think you should be turning this anger on yourself not me. You're the one who believed a total stranger over your own brother. Over the woman you supposedly loved."

Frank's heart caught in his throat and he felt nauseated, listening to Nash as if he'd been privy to Frank's every thought for the past four months.

"You thought they slept together. You didn't believe them when they told you nothing was going on. When they told you nothing happened. When they told you the video was a fake. I bet you even had doubts that baby was really yours, didn't you?" Nash shook his head in disgust. "You're a pretty miserable excuse for a brother _and_ a fiancé, you know that? You've known your brother his whole life, and still you believed me – ME, a common criminal! – over him."

No matter how hard he tried, Frank couldn't stop the tears this time. Nash was right. How could Joe have possibly forgiven him? What he had done was unforgivable.

"And Callie. Poor thing. I bet you called her all kinds of nasty names, didn't you?" Nash said, watching Frank closely and seeing the confirmation in his guilt-ridden brown eyes. "Whore? Slut? Those are usually the favorites. It must have hurt her terribly. Broke her heart. The man she loved, the man she wanted to marry, the man whose child she was carrying, accusing her of sleeping around. With his own brother no less. So tell me Frank, has she forgiven you?"

Getting up, Nash looked around as if he were being watched. "As a matter of fact…has your brother forgiven you? I don't see him anywhere and the two of you are usually a package deal."

Breathing heavily, Frank glared at Nash, refusing to give him the satisfaction of knowing everything he said was true.

"Oh, wait! You came here to avenge them!" Nash stared at him for a moment, then laughed uproariously. "You thought you could come here, take me down, and be the hero. And everything would be forgiven." Still chuckling, Nash wiped at his eyes.

"If you remember, your brother tried to play hero too," Nash reminded Frank. "Seems to run in the family." Standing up, Nash eyed Frank carefully, shaking his head. "I had to teach him a lesson and it looks like it's your turn now."

Frank's heart tightened in his chest, as visions of Joe lying on the basement floor - beaten, bloody and near death – flashed through his mind. It was a miracle Joe even survived and, four months later, he still wasn't really recovered yet. In fact, his memory still hadn't returned, only bits and pieces. As memories of Joe's painfully slow recovery played themselves out, Frank realized he was in serious trouble.

Warily he watched as Nash moved to a small closet and opened the door. Rummaging around inside, muttering to himself, Nash finally straightened up, scrutinizing the plastic bottle in his hand.

"This should do nicely," he said out loud, turning back to Frank. "You know, I would have thought your brother might have warned you not to cross me. It tends to make me angry. And then I feel the need to retaliate."

As he spoke, Nash had slowly crossed the room and was now standing in front of Frank.

"I'm sure you must be thirsty after all that yelling." Nash said unscrewing the cap on the bottle.

As soon as the cap was removed, Frank could smell the fumes of ammonia and cleaning solvent and his heart tightened.

Grabbing a handful of Frank's hair, Nash viciously pulled his head back as far as possible. Helpless and unable to fight back, Frank felt as if his neck was about to snap in two. Clamping his mouth shut, Frank tried to put off the inevitable as long as possible. Nash pulled harder, forcing Frank's mouth to open.

"Say aaahhhh," Nash laughed. As he poured the caustic liquid down Frank's throat, Frank gagged, sending droplets of the liquid fire onto his cheeks, dribbling down his neck.

Crying out in agony, Frank felt as if his mouth, throat and lungs had suddenly burst into flames. Flames that left a trail of raw, burning pain as the liquid slowly meandered on its way, burning everything in its path. The fiery fluid journeyed past his vocal chords and through his chest, ending with a blazing inferno in his stomach so agonizingly painful he prayed for deliverance.

Tossing the now empty bottle on the floor at Frank's feet, Nash patted him on the shoulder and made his way to the door. As he heard Frank gagging and gasping for air, struggling to get just a tiny bit of oxygen through his burned and rapidly swelling airway, Nash graced him with one last sadistic smile, before disappearing through the doorway.

' _Callie. Joe. Please, forgive me,'_ Frank thought, knowing he had only a few precious moments left before his burned throat swelled shut completely, ensuring certain death. As the pain inside him continued to increase with each passing second, Frank's prayer of a moment earlier, to be delivered from this unbearable suffering, were answered. He convulsed once, twice and then finally, lay still.


	22. Chapter 22

**Note:** _Many thanks to BMSH, Caranath, Paulina Ann, EvergreenDreamweaver, and max 2013 for your much appreciated reviews on the last chapter!_

Consequences

Chapter 22

"Gone?!" Fenton cried, an expression of horror coming over his face. "What on earth are you talking about?"

Taking a deep breath, Joe forced himself to be calm, trying to remember that his father had little or no idea about what was actually going on. Walking over to his father, Joe grabbed the edge of his dad's desk with a grip so tight that his knuckles actually turned white.

"Frank's gone, Dad," he repeated, slowly, to emphasize the point. "I looked all over. I know he's not with Callie, and he's certainly not in the house. Dad," Joe pleaded, fighting with his own anxiety, "You know what this means!"

Fenton remained silent for a moment, trying to absorb all of this information at once. The implications of Joe's words were extraordinarily clear to him, but he still had a hard time believing it. "Frank wouldn't…" he gulped, trying to regain his composure, "he wouldn't go after Nash, son. I mean, he promised."

"Dad," Joe sighed, "Come on!"

"Oh, my God," Fenton whispered softly to himself, forcing himself to have a seat as all the possibilities and new scenarios filled his mind. In a moment, he looked at Joe, his heart breaking when he saw the devastation in his youngest son's face. "What's happened to us?"

Fenton was about to continue when he saw Joe visibly fighting back tears. In that instant, he immediately snapped back into fatherly mode and stopped allowing himself even a few moments to feel sorry for himself. Frank was in serious danger; they had to do…SOMETHING. Walking around from behind his desk, Fenton quickly enveloped his youngest son in his arms. "It's going to be okay," he said softly, patting his neck. "I promise."

Joe quickly pulled away from his father's embrace, embarrassed that he had allowed his emotions, once again, to overcome him. Frank was the most important thing in the world right now, and even the shortest delay could have serious consequences for him.

"Okay," Joe mumbled, and looked up at his father, feeling like a little boy for the slightest of moments before allowing reality to set in. When it did, though, it hit like a ton of bricks. "Dad!" he began, the passion in his voice evident as he pleaded his case. "Dad, we've got to find Frank. We need a plan or something, and obviously, it all starts in Cape May. Come on—let's go, now!" With those words uttered, he headed for the door, but was quickly restrained by his father, who grabbed his arm.

Wincing, his body still sore from his own ordeal, Joe turned around and was about to protest when he saw the look he knew he would never forget in his father's eyes. Although Fenton's eyes did not hold the terror that he obviously could not help but feel, the expression in his eyes was one of such abject determination and fierce thought that Joe found himself stunned into silence. Only on the rarest occasions did this man come out, the one who was one of the nation's top private investigators, who could solve almost any puzzle put in front of him with a methodical and calculating thought process. Joe was almost awed.

"Son," Fenton said evenly, "That's all well and good, but now we've got to get serious. We can't just drive around town for a couple of hours hoping Frank will show up."

 _That's true_ , he had to agree. Still, Joe needed to MOVE, to do something…anything, really, to get going and find Frank before he got into any trouble.

"Well then. What do we do?" He felt stupid asking the question, but the only way they could get to the bottom of this, and fast, was to work together and use each other's strengths. _Just like Frank and I always did_ , he added to himself with a swallow.

Fenton rubbed his temple with his right hand and allowed himself a few deep breaths. Seeing his father focus, Joe tried to do the same thing. And, despite their natural varying inclinations, he found that he could concentrate, too. Suddenly, he felt almost calm.

"He took the car."

Fenton looked up. "What?"

"I said he took the car, Dad. So, obviously, there's no way to track what time he would have left, since he wouldn't have taken a bus or a train."

Nodding slowly, Fenton continued Joe's train of thought. "Okay, that's true. But he would have slept a little, knowing your brother. He was serious, and determined, and that must have meant that he had some sort of game plan."

"Unless he was blinded by rage," Joe said softly, hating even to think it about his calm, sweet brother.

"Unless he was blinded by rage," Fenton repeated, slowly. After a moment of silence, he went on. "Let's presume that's the case, Joe. He would have left at dawn, since he's not familiar with the area. Which means," he said excitedly, as the realization dawned on him, "That he had to have directions!"

"And if he was really that upset, he wouldn't have thought to go on to the computer to print out directions, so he must have bought a map—probably closer to the area where he was headed!"

Fenton nodded, but still looked deeply disturbed. "Joseph," he said evenly, "check out that angle. Look up on the computer any convenience or grocery stores in the area. While you're at it, check with the local authorities along the highway route to see if there were any accidents or if any speeding tickets were issued this morning."

"What will you work on? Dad, is something else bothering you?" Joe asked, half out the door already.

Fenton looked up, momentarily ignoring the doubts in his mind. "Just get to work, Joe. Hurry up—because we're going to Cape May, ourselves, as soon as you're done."

Joe smiled, grateful for action at last. "You got it, Dad!" he exclaimed happily before rushing up the stairs.

As soon as Joe left, Fenton sat at his desk, his dark eyes clouding over. Fenton was very aware that, had anyone been looking in on him, they would have thought him to be grieving over the disappearance of his son. However, he was not a crier; at least, not until he knew there was definitive reason to be, and his instincts, his logic, his years of experience, were all working on overload. He knew, somehow, that Frank was alive; if he was okay was another story altogether. No, he was disturbed, rather, that there were too many holes in a long overdue resolution to this case.

 _Think, Fenton, think damnit!_ He mentally chided himself. _This is your son we're talking about—you have to fill in the holes – now!_

There were holes, indeed. Where had Nash been all this time? Did it really make sense that he would continue to hurt and to hunt down their family? _He's a professional criminal, for God's sake_. _Why would he bother?! Already he had almost killed Joe, and virtually destroyed Frank and Callie. What good would continuing to harm them do? They were small peas in a large pod._ It simply didn't make sense.

"It doesn't make sense," Fenton said out loud to himself. And then, although he'd thought of it a million times before, he actually LISTENED to himself. "If it doesn't make sense… then it didn't happen!" the thought was so simple, so clear, so damned obvious, that Fenton almost fell out of his chair.

Frantically, he started pacing the room. How could he NOT have thought of that?! DUH was too good for him at the moment. "Okay, okay," Fenton said rapidly out loud to himself. "Let's go with that. Nash didn't do it? Good? Yes. Then Frank's probably okay. Bad? Yes. Because…because… because he was in Cape May for some reason, which means Frank may have run into him."

"But WHY? I don't get it!" Fenton slammed his hand into the desk, unanswered questions floating through his mind.

"Don't get what?" Joe asked, startled, having returned from his research.

"What did you find?" Fenton snapped, more intently than he meant to.

Joe was taken aback, but he knew his father was thinking about something, and he hated to be interrupted during a train of thought.

"No police reports. I got the name of a few convenience stores that sell maps in the area," he said, holding up his hand that contained several loose sheets of paper.

"Let's go," Fenton said, and stormed past Joe.

Joe got over his initial shock at his father's intensity, and ran after him, beating him to the driver's seat. "I'll drive," he said, and slid behind the wheel.

"We need to get there in one piece," Fenton murmured sarcastically, feeling the stress.

"Well, we need to GET there," Joe countered, "and the way you drive, it'll be next week before that happens. You think—I drive. Okay?" With that, he peeled out of the driveway.

The way down to Cape May was spent in virtual silence until Fenton spoke, ready to run his thoughts by his son. "Joe?"

"Mmmm?" Joe mumbled, concentrating on the road.

"I don't think Nash did it."

The revelation was so startling that Joe almost drove off he road. "Wh.. what? Why?" he sputtered.

"Because he has no reason to go after us. Look, I know it sounds crazy, but think about it—is it really so crazy? He got his revenge on Callie… on all of us. Why bother? It doesn't make sense."

"But he was spotted- in Cape May!" Joe protested. "And remember what Con said. The crops that are grown that can be used to… you know…"

The words were painful even to his own ears… "induce abortion… they were all in that same area. Why would Nash be there and the drugs be there, and Nash deal with drugs… and the whole thing not be connected? It HAS to be connected."

"No," Fenton said slowly. "Those are all good points, Joe, but go beyond the obvious. Who else could do that to Callie and Frank?"

"Jenkins," Joe said, trying to concentrate, "or one of his cronies. But he's in jail in Cape May, awaiting transfer to a maximum security prison. That end is all but dead."

"Hmmm… maybe." Fenton muttered. It wouldn't be the first time someone who was supposedly safely behind bars had continued to orchestrate crimes on the outside.

"Maybe Nash paid someone to do it?" Joe queried, desperate to continue bouncing ideas off his father.

Something snapped in Fenton, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

"Damnit!" he shouted, hitting the dashboard with his fist.

"What?" Joe asked, shocked at his father's outburst.

"I'm sorry, Joe," Fenton said, apologizing. "I just wish Collig was in town. Instead, we have that imbecile Davis who couldn't even think to inform their top investigator and the father of the main people involved that Nash was spotted."

"I hope all the Cape May cops aren't that stupid," Joe agreed.

They drove along in silence for some time. Joe's mind sorted through every angle, every possibility of his father's seemingly implausible theory. BUT, if his father thought that an idea was valid, there was probably some kernel of truth in it somewhere. As they pulled into the first convenience store along the way right on the outskirts of Cape May, Joe suddenly gasped as an awful possibility occurred to him. "No," he said to reassure himself.

"What is it?" Fenton asked, turning to him.

"Nothing," he muttered.

"Joseph!" Fenton reprimanded. "I need to know what you're thinking, no matter how insignificant it may seem to you."

"But…"

"Your brother's life depends on it."

That was enough to spark Joe to action. "I was just thinking…I mean, I know it sounds crazy…but who exactly IS Davis? How long did Con know him? I mean, isn't he from Cape May? Maybe, I don't know… maybe something's up with him. It IS weird he wouldn't tell you, right, about Nash being seen? I don't want to implicate an officer, and I know it sounds stupid…." His voice trailed off.

Fenton stared at him, the color slowly draining from his face. "I never even thought of that."

"I know. It doesn't make sense."

"What does in this case?! I don't understand, either, Joe, but let's go to the police station." Fenton's voice held a fierceness that, again, was extremely rare.

As they pulled into the station, Joe followed his father up the stairs. After identifying themselves, they started asking the local officers some questions, trying to seem as inconspicuous as possible. Having dealt with the authorities there before on their case last summer, it was not hard to fit in. One of the officers there, Adrienne Lyle, was in charge of pending cases and, while Fenton schmoozed with local authorities, Joe made his way to her.

"Ma'am?" he asked.

"Yes?" she replied looking up.

Joe identified himself and, as subtly as possible, he asked, "Pete Davis, who's down with us near Bayport now on temporary reassignment—how long have you known him?"

After a little prodding, the officer responded, "Well, years, of course! He's been in charge of major cases. You know, drug busts, crime rings, transportation of criminals. You know that, of course, from last summer, right? By the way, how are you feeling?"

Forcing a smile, Joe responded, "Better, thanks. Look, do you have an address for him?"

Smiling, the officer replied, "Well, you know I can't give that out! However, I can say that he lives in the great big house - almost a mansion - on the other side of town. Take a ride to the right down a mile or two and you might just come across it." She gave him a wink.

Joe was incredulous. "He lives in a mansion?" he asked, stunned. "How does he afford that?"

The officer laughed. "Word has it that he was heir to a large fortune. Says he does the police work because it's his duty, not because he needs to. Quite the guy, huh?"

Joe fought the sinking feeling in his stomach. "Where was Nash last spotted?" he demanded.

"What?" she asked, taken aback.

"Where?"

At that moment, Fenton's shouting mirrored Joe's. "Oh my God!" he exclaimed.

The police officers stood in shock as Fenton grabbed something off the sergeant's desk. "What the hell is this?!"

The officer stood next to Fenton. "Calm down!"

"I asked what this was!" Fenton fumed.

"That?" The officer asked, confused. "That's a stamp we use to mark all official correspondence from transporting criminals. Why?"

Fenton was as white as a ghost as Joe rushed to him. "Dad? What's wrong?"

Fenton grabbed a piece of paper and, with a thud, impressed the stamp upon the paper. Joe's heart stopped as he realized what his father saw.

"CAKE," he whispered, as things began to fall into place.

"No wonder I couldn't find a bakery," Fenton replied in a shaky voice.

"What?" Officer Lyle asked.

"C.A.K.E.— **C** ape may **A** uthorities **K** eepers of **E** nforcement. My God!" Fenton turned to Joe. "We need to get on this – now! Davis was behind this all along! But how? And why? And with whom?!"

As the officers stared in confusion, Joe went into action with lightning speed, using his father's news and the information he had obtained. "Get at least two squad cars, and EMT's- NOW!- down to mile markers 120-123 and search—now! We'll meet you there! Call the cars- this is an emergency!" With that command, Joe and Fenton ran out of the building, knowing they would find Frank, dreading what they would see.

It was less than ten minutes when Joe and Fenton arrived at the designated area. Although it was a fairly large coverage area, they knew that they had to stay together and that with the backup that would be arriving, they would soon locate Frank- they had to.

Their search was not in vain. Half an hour later, they saw it—an abandoned old cabin, deep in the woods. The sirens rang in the distance, signaling help was on the way. Running faster than he could have thought possible, Joe ran to the cabin, his father close at his heels. There was no car around…they knew there wouldn't be one. Nash was too good. He wouldn't stay behind and risk being caught.

Throwing open the door, Joe gasped in horror, a cry catching in his throat.

There was Frank, tied to a chair, his face as blue as a sapphire stone…and his body absolutely lifeless.


	23. Chapter 23

**Note:** _As usual, thanks to those reading and following the story. Special thanks to those kind enough to leave much appreciated reviews: BMSH, Caranath, Paulina Ann, EvergreenDreamweaver, max 2013, and Tin Dog!_

Consequences

Chapter 23

For one brief moment, Joe stood rooted to the spot, staring at his brother in complete shock. Refusing to believe what his eyes were telling him – that Frank was dead – Joe raced forward, pulling a Swiss army knife from his pocket. He could hear his father on the phone, directing the arriving authorities and EMTs to their exact location in the cabin. Joe sliced through the ropes holding Frank to the chair in record time and quickly laid him on the floor.

With a slightly shaking hand, Joe checked for a pulse, breathing a sigh of relief when he felt the rhythmic beat, faint and shallow as it was. Positioning Frank's head properly, Joe leaned down, forcing a breath of air into his brother's mouth. When his efforts were met with resistance and Frank's lungs did not fill with air, Joe sat back on his heels, repositioning Frank's head and tried again. Once again, Frank's body defied Joe's best efforts to supply him with much needed oxygen. Absolutely certain he was doing everything correctly, Joe felt the first signs of panic stir deep inside him.

"Dad, something's wrong!" Joe cried out. "It's not working! The air isn't getting through!"

Gently pushing Joe aside, Fenton knelt down next to Frank, hoping he would have better luck. Looking down at his oldest son's face, his heart tightened and he knew his efforts would also prove futile. The small burns next to Frank's mouth, trailing down one side of his neck, told Fenton the only ones who could help Frank now were the EMTs, and even that might be iffy.

Standing up, Fenton's eyes narrowed as his gaze slowly swept across the room, coming to rest on the plastic bottle Nash had carelessly discarded on the floor. Swooping down on it, Fenton grabbed the now empty bottle, paling when he looked at the label.

"Oh, dear God," he whispered hoarsely.

"What?!" Joe asked, alarmed at his father's reaction.

In answer, Fenton silently held up the bottle allowing Joe to see the label, the skull and crossbones frighteningly clear. Taking a few steps closer, Joe let out a strangled cry when he saw the word "caustic".

Suddenly the room was bustling with activity as EMTs and police officers descended, pushing Joe aside as they surrounded Frank. Joe heard his father's voice, clear and steady, explaining to the medical personnel about the bottle he'd found and pointing out the burns around Frank's mouth.

As the reality of what had happened to Frank sunk in, Joe felt a stinging sensation, his eyes filling with tears. It couldn't end like this! After all the misunderstandings, accusations, and hurt feelings, he and Frank were finally brothers again. That had given Joe hope that eventually Frank and Callie might be able to come to terms with everything and make a new start, themselves. Frank couldn't die! He wouldn't! Joe refused to believe it. After all the horror, they deserved a happy ending.

Roughly swiping a hand across his eyes, Joe returned to his father's side, both of them watching as the EMT's attempted to open an airway in Frank's burned and swollen throat. Trying, and failing, again and again, their frustration became evident. Sitting back, the technicians held a quiet conference, trying to decide what to do next.

' _Don't stop!'_ Joe silently urged. ' _Try again!'_

Reaching into their well-stocked kit, one of the technicians pulled out something Joe couldn't see. Leaning forward, they hovered over Frank once more. Joe watched as one of them picked up the long, plastic tube again, trying once more to ease it down Frank's throat.

' _Please, please, please, please…'_ Joe chanted silently, eyes closed, hands balled into fists at his side. He heard one of the EMT's mutter a curse. ' _PLEASE! Don't let him die!'_

"Yes!" A voice cried out triumphantly.

Joe's eyes flew open and he saw the technician, squeezing the bag attached to the tube now safely ensconced in Frank's throat, in a steady rhythm.

' _Thank you!'_ Joe thought raising his eyes upwards.

"Do you know when he stopped breathing? How long it was?" One of the EMTs turned to look at Fenton and Joe over his shoulder.

"We don't know," Fenton replied. "He'd already stopped breathing by the time we got here."

The two technicians exchanged a look, then returned to their task of getting Frank stabilized enough to transport. Joe's heart fluttered as it dawned on him why they were asking, as the panic started to rise again.

' _Four to six minutes.'_ Joe thought back to what he'd learned in CPR and First Aid classes. ' _Once breathing has stopped, permanent brain damage or death can result in four to six minutes.'_

As Frank was secured to the wheeled gurney and swiftly moved towards the door, Joe couldn't help but wonder…did they get there in time?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Fenton put down the empty Styrofoam cup and watched, both enthralled and somewhat annoyed at Joe's continuous ritual. Standing in the doorway of the waiting room, Joe glanced at his watch impatiently. He then turned and stalked across the room, stopping at the window on the opposite wall. Joe stood for a few seconds and scanned the world outside the hospital, before beginning the return trip to the doorway, where he checked his watch once again and repeated the procedure. Over and over again for almost two hours, Joe hadn't stopped. Cocking his head to one side, Fenton wondered why Joe hadn't dropped from the sheer exhaustion of nonstop movement.

"Joe," Fenton called out, the repetitive habit finally starting to wear on his last nerve. "Come here." He patted the empty seat next to him. Joe threw one last scowl at the closed doors that denied him access to the emergency room – and his brother – and took the few short strides to the chair his father had indicated, throwing himself into angrily.

"Can't they at least come out and tell us if he's dead or alive?" Joe growled.

"The fact that they haven't come out at least let's us know he's still alive," Fenton replied calmly, before changing the subject. "We know Davis is behind this now. But we still don't know the details – how, why, who is he working with…or for."

Joe thought back to his conversation with Officer Lyle. "He's been telling everyone he inherited a large family fortune. Says he dedicated himself to police work because he feels it's his _duty_. And they all bought it!" Joe snorted.

"What else did she say?" Fenton asked, perking up at the information.

"Not much. Just that he lives in a mansion across town from the station. That's when you found the C.A.K.E. stamp." Joe shook his head. "He's got them all snowed. You should have heard her voice when she talked about Davis. Like he was some kind of god or something!"

Fenton scowled. "That means they won't take kindly to our asking questions about him. And we don't know who else on the force is involved with him. Still some of the things Davis claims should be easy enough to check out." Fenton continued pulling out his cell phone.

"Who're you calling?" Joe asked, knowing Fenton was waiting for some news from the doctors before calling Laura.

"Sam," he replied, referring to his assistant Sam Radley. Joe sat and listened as his father relayed all the information they had on Pete Davis and asked Sam to dig up anything else he could find. After promising to update Sam on Frank's condition, Fenton hung up. Before he could resume their conversation, a doctor appeared in the doorway.

"Hardy?" he asked simply, scanning the room of people.

"Right here." Joe jumped up. "How's Frank?" He asked anxiously as the doctor approached, attempting to contain himself when he felt his father's hand on his shoulder.

"Frank's brother?" the doctor guessed, smiling at Joe.

"Yes. Joe Hardy," Joe replied, offering his hand.

"Dr. Grant Esching." He introduced himself, shaking hands with both Joe and Fenton. "And you are Frank's father?"

"Fenton Hardy," Fenton nodded in reply, returning to his seat, nudging Joe to do the same. "How is he?"

Dr. Esching looked first at Fenton then at Joe. "His condition is very serious. He started having convulsions shortly after arriving. Due to the swelling in his throat he still can't breathe on his own, so he is on a ventilator. We inserted an NG tube to wash out his stomach and make sure there weren't any traces of the substance left.

"We performed an endoscopy – placing a camera down his throat – to see the extent of the burns to the throat and stomach. Right now, there's still quite a bit of swelling so it was hard to determine the severity. We'll repeat the procedure again in twenty-four hours and hopefully be able to get a better idea of the degree of damage. We've administered an antidote and started Frank on IV fluids. Right now all we can do is treat the symptoms and monitor him closely."

Joe sat stunned, with his mouth hanging open slightly, not having expected such harsh news. "But he'll be okay...eventually…right?" Joe asked, his voice shaking.

"Usually the biggest concern with this type of poisoning is respiratory failure. If too much of the liquid was aspirated into the lungs, it results in chemical pneumonia, which can be fatal."

Joe choked back a cry at the word "fatal" and felt his father's arm around his shoulders, squeezing gently.

"We also don't know how long Frank was without oxygen before you found him. Depending on how long the brain is deprived of oxygen, it can result in varying degrees of brain damage."

"You…you think he might have brain damage?" Fenton asked, horrified.

"No," Joe whispered, refusing to even consider the possibility of his brilliant brother no longer being capable of understanding the simplest things.

"We don't know, Mr. Hardy," Dr. Esching replied gently. "We may not know until he regains consciousness."

"So he _will_ wake up." Joe pounced on the doctor's words.

"We _hope_ he will. I'm not trying to be vague, but it's still much too early to tell you anything other than the injuries we've found and how we are treating them. I just want you to be prepared. I don't mean to sound harsh, but at this moment I can't even tell you whether Frank is going to survive, let alone whether he will have diminished mental capacity or permanent physical impairment."

As hard as he tried, Joe couldn't stop a few tears from sliding down his cheeks. Leaning forward, he buried his face in his hands, unable to take any more bad news about his brother.

"The next forty-eight hours are the most critical." Dr. Esching returned his attention to Fenton, who was staggered by the extent of Frank's injuries. "At that time we can begin looking at the possibility of any long term effects or permanent damage." The doctor stood up, indicating he'd given them all the information he could for the time being. "We'll be moving him to the ICU shortly. Immediate family can visit him there. Once he's improved enough to be moved to a private room, his friends can come and see him."

"Thank you, doctor," Fenton replied, still trying to grasp the reality of it all – there was a distinct possibility he could lose his first-born son.

Fenton allowed himself a few moments of self-pity, before regaining a hold on his emotions. Looking down, he rubbed Joe's back gently.

"Joe? Are you okay?" he asked gently, immediately thinking how ridiculous the question was.

' _Is he okay? How the hell can he be okay? Less than a week ago, his brother accused him of sleeping with his fiancée. He wound up in the hospital – again. He had to confront Frank, rehash all the painful memories from last summer…at least the ones he could remember…how did my family fall apart without my noticing?'_

Joe's voice snapped Fenton out of his depressing reverie, a shocking calmness in his tone. "I'll be fine, Dad," Joe replied, having pulled himself together. He looked at his father, a coldness in his eyes Fenton had never seen before. "As soon as we find Nash and make him pay."


	24. Chapter 24

**Note** : _As always, thank you to those reading and following the story. We appreciate the kind comments from EvergreenDreamweaver, Caranath, max2013, Paulina Ann, and BMSH on the last chapter- you made our day!_

Consequences

Chapter 24

" _It's really bad. He might not make it."_

The words echoed through Vanessa's mind as she pulled the car into the parking lot of the hospital where she had promised to meet Joe. Nervously, out of the corner of her eye, Vanessa caught sight of Callie who sat, expressionless, next to her.

What had Frank been thinking?! She still couldn't believe that he had gone off on his own to try and stop Nash. Despite the terrible pain he had been in, despite the great, inconceivable losses and near losses Frank had suffered at the hands of Nash, she still had trouble believing that Frank would be crazy enough to pursue Nash on his own. _It's almost like he had a death wish_ , she thought at once, but stopped instantly to chide herself for even having the thought.

Stopping for a moment to compose herself, Vanessa squeezed her eyes tightly shut after having turned off the ignition and prayed silently that Frank would be okay. Joe had briefly informed her of what had happened with Frank in that terrible phone call she had received while visiting Callie.

 _Barely breathing… caustic substance... poison… was there no limit to how far one would go to torture another human being?_

Snapping herself temporarily out of her reverie, Vanessa realized that Joe needed her right now. He had been through so very much, and now…

She shuddered at the thought of what Joe would be like if, God forbid, Frank died. Glancing sidelong at Callie, Vanessa suddenly realized that she HAD to pull herself together. Callie had a stoic facade, but, despite that, Vanessa did not miss how badly Callie's hands were shaking and the way in which she kept swallowing hard, as if trying to keep her composure. Reaching over to her, Vanessa squeezed Callie's hand.

"It's going to be alright," she said, softly, trying to comfort her.

Callie just nodded, staring straight ahead.

"I mean it," Vanessa repeated. Of course, she didn't know any such thing, but she did know that she had to try and convince Callie to hold it together. Besides, the thought that Frank really wouldn't be okay was unfathomable to her as well.

Slowly, Callie turned to her, refusing, as always, to cry. Her strength never ceased to amaze Vanessa. Even with the worst odds against her, Callie always held it together. _Just like Frank, and that's what made him snap,_ she thought at once. _So much alike…_

"Are you okay?' Vanessa asked, finally breaking the silence. She was shocked when Callie actually spoke.

"Is this my fault?' Callie asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Astonished, Vanessa couldn't speak for a moment. "What?! No—Are you crazy?!" What on earth was Callie talking about? Vanessa couldn't help but to think that maybe, after all, this WAS too much for her best friend.

Through tear-filled eyes, Callie continued, voice breaking. Still, the tears were held back. "I didn't talk to him," she whispered. "I…I thought we were through, you know? Maybe…if I had…he would have asked me first…before going…" Her voice trailed off, and she blinked back tears.

"No—oh, no, Callie," Vanessa replied, her heart breaking. She squeezed Callie's hand harder. "Frank had something to prove. Maybe it wasn't to me, or to you, or to Joe. Maybe we'll never understand what it was that motivated him to go out there. But he had to prove something to himself. You probably know better than anyone else what it's like with him when he sets his mind to something. Now let's just focus on him…being alright."

Weakly, Callie nodded, and got out of the car. They made their way to the hospital.

Inside, Vanessa caught sight of Joe at once. He looked terrible. His face was pale and drawn, and Vanessa knew right away that he was having a hard time keeping it together. Although she saw Fenton behind Joe, all she could do now was to run to Joe, anxious.

As soon as she got to him, Vanessa saw Joe look at her with a flood of relief in his eyes. At once, she was enfolded in his arms, and she let him cling to her tightly for a few moments and they stood there. As gently as possible, she rubbed his back, waiting for him to talk.

The next ten minutes were some of the worst that Vanessa could remember. She listened in horror to Joe's story as he and Fenton filled the girls in on what had transpired. As much as Joe tried to sugarcoat the condition in which Frank had been found, there was simply no way to do so. Horrified, Vanessa listened to all of the details, trying to make sense of it all. She realized that she was trembling at the conclusion of the story. It took them all a few more minutes before they realized what all of this must have sounded like to Callie. When they did, they turned around to comfort her.

Callie was gone.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Outside, against the bitter wind, Callie tried to collect her thoughts. Somehow, she had found herself out here, away from the horrible images she was hearing, away from the horror of her life. Strangely, a sense of calm had descended upon her as she watched herself walk silently away, not moving consciously, but knowing that she was moving all the same.

The scene before her had looked, for a moment, like a soap opera. The distraught brother, putting on a brave front. The comforting girlfriend, who wanted desperately to hold it all together. The father, helpless and defeated, looking outside for the answers, and nothing coming. The main character, clinging to life after the bad guys tortured him. _And me?_ She thought numbly. _Who am I? What role do I play?_

With a start, Callie felt a smile creep to her face. _My God—it IS a soap opera._ Wasn't it, though? These kinds of horrors didn't happen in real life. You didn't go on vacation to watch your best friend be attacked and cling to life. You didn't have the man you loved betray you, then lose your child, and then have HIM get hurt- and be on the verge of death.

Then, suddenly, the smile fell. _This isn't a soap opera. This IS my life._

Callie felt her body get up as if she was a marionette. Although, unlike one, she didn't know who was pulling the strings or what the higher power was that was sustaining her. She glided along outside, enjoying the harshness of the wind, the pain it brought to her. Logic fought with fear, horror, emotion, love, and disbelief…

She knew she should blame herself for not talking to Frank. She couldn't, though. Part of her knew she had been right and that, despite everything, Frank HAD been wrong. She wanted to blame Frank for being such an idiot as to go after Nash, but she couldn't do that, either. On some unspoken level, she understood what no one else ever would about Frank- that for him to live, he had to live for others. And, in some strange way, he must have been thinking that he was living for her—for Joe—when he was trying to avenge them. She wanted to yell at Joe for not protecting Frank, or Mr. Hardy—or her parents, or anyone- ANYONE who could make the pain go away. But there was only Nash. She knew that.

And there were, of course, the consequences of his actions to be dealt with.

She knew what she had to do. Quietly, unobtrusively, she slid back into the hospital, stopping only for a moment to ask what room Frank was located in. She thought she asked that, anyway. It seemed like she was being carried, somehow, through the course of her day ever since she heard the news. As she approached the room, she wasn't surprised that Joe wasn't there. He knew she would want to go there first. She knew that he had understood, on some level, that Callie had to go to Frank—now—and she thanked him silently for it.

Entering the room, she saw Frank and felt her knees go weak. She slumped back into a chair and turned away. So dead….

She shrugged off the thought and did not look at Frank. She did not touch him, sob to him, or begin screaming. Rather, as if in a trance, she took out a book of poetry, a small, pocket companion that Frank had given her when they had first met, so many years ago. She always carried it with her in her purse. That first Christmas, during sophomore year of high school, they had been studying American literature, and she had fallen "madly in love" as she told him, with Robert Frost. Something about his sentiments were so fresh, so straightforward, that the simple beauty of his words always lulled her into serenity.

Frank used to write her love poems. He still did. It was one of their many secrets.

She used to read him her favorite poems and tell him how they reminded her of him.

She took out the book.

"Frank, my love," she said, forcing herself to look up, blinking back tears. "I'm still mad at you. But you can't go dying on me, because I should have the right to kill you myself after all the grief you put me through."

By now, the tears freely rolled down her cheeks. The saltwater felt good; they were bitter, and through their release, she felt some of her own bitterness roll away and a new purity fill her soul.

Frank would be okay. She knew it. Because if he died, she knew she would, too. And she wasn't ready to die. Not yet.

"Here's one of my favorites. You know it, baby." She spoke to the room, her voice her only solace.

"It's called "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening." It's famous. You know I've read this to you a thousand times, but I thought—hey, maybe this time there's some special significance. Ready?"

Of course, silence answered her. She smiled softly. "Feel free to wake up any time and tell me to stop talking."

Her own joke fell flat, even to her own ears. Still, she had to keep smiling. If she didn't, she would never stop crying.

"Okay," she said aloud. "Here's the first stanza." Trying to keep her voice from cracking, she read.

" _Whose woods these are I think I know._

 _His house is in the village though;_

 _He will not see me stopping here_

 _To watch his woods fill up with snow."_

Looking up through her tears, Callie tried to keep smiling. "I wonder about the poem, now, Frank. These woods- we've seen too much of woods, huh? That's the beautiful thing about poetry. It keeps changing as you grow." She paused a moment to wipe her eyes. "You're kind of like that person, Frank. I'm sitting here, watching you, but you can't see me."

 _"My little horse must think it queer_

 _To stop without a farmhouse near_

 _Between the woods and frozen lake_

 _The darkest evening of the year."_

"That's what this is, hon. The darkest evening of the year. It's so cold without you. Remember all those nights we used to stay up by the fireplace during winter? Sure you do." She choked back a sob. "And what about all of the walks we'd go on? And all those times in high school when we'd call each other out sick, pretending to be our parents, so we could spend the day together? I remember that. They never suspected us because we were the 'good' kids, the kids who'd never cut. You know," she paused, breathing raggedly, "I never really thought that was fair. I guess life's not fair." By now, Callie was openly crying, unable to fight the flood of tears that threatened to overwhelm her. Still, she went on reading.

 _"He gives his harness bells a shake_

 _To ask if there is some mistake._

 _The only other sound's the sweep_

 _Of easy wind and downy flake."_

"That's what I feel like now, Frank," she sobbed, rubbing her forehead for some control. "There must be some mistake! This can't be happening. I want to shake myself out of it, but it's REAL- it's happening—and I don't know how. I want it to be easy again."

Slowly, Callie walked over to Frank's bed. He hadn't moved. She sat down and took his hand, closing her book of poetry. She knew this poem. She had memorized it years ago. It seemed only appropriate to recite the last lines to him.

"Here's the end, baby. Now you listen—and you listen hard. It's really important that you understand what this means."

 _"The woods are lovely, dark and deep._

 _But I have promises to keep."_

 _"You HAVE promises to keep",_ she sobbed squeezing his hand. "And you've never broken your word to me, so I don't expect you to do it now. Don't you die-Don't you die!"

She bit her lip and warbled out the closing lines.

 _"And miles to go before I sleep,_

 _And miles to go before I sleep."_

They were so significant, so utterly telling of everything she wanted to say; she just rested her head down on Frank's shoulder. There was so much left to do before he slept. Maybe they wouldn't reunite; it was entirely possible that she would not be able to forgive him. But, she couldn't lie about the fact that she still truly, deeply loved this man. She could live apart from him if that's what what fate had in store. But she could not live with herself if he died; the guilt, the sorrow would crush her.

And she prayed that sleep would not take him, as he had so very many miles left to venture.


	25. Chapter 25

**Note** : _Many thanks to Caranath, BMSH, Paulina Ann, EvergreenDreamweaver, and Max 2013 for the much appreciated reviews on the last chapter!_

Consequences

Chapter 25

Joe sat in the chair next to Frank's bed for the third time that day, staring at his older brother. He, Callie, and his parents had been taking turns sitting with Frank all afternoon and evening. The doctor had been very insistent that only immediate family be allowed to visit with Frank, relenting to let Callie see him when Joe had blurted out that she and Frank were engaged. He knew it might be painful for Callie to hear that, but he also knew the doctor wouldn't let her in to see Frank any other way. And it was so obvious she wanted to see him… _needed_ to see him.

While Vanessa had not been allowed to visit with Frank, she had steadfastly refused to leave the hospital, knowing how much Joe needed her right now. Joe smiled for the first time in days, thinking of his girlfriend and her unwavering support. The summer had been rough on her, watching Joe's slow and painful struggle to recover from his injuries. Yet she never let her fears or anxiety show, always having a smile, a kiss, and an encouraging word for him. As he had done a lot lately, Joe wondered if maybe it was time for them to take the next step in their relationship.

As Joe sat listening to the soft beeping, humming and swishing of the various machines that were assisting and monitoring Frank, the past four months quickly started to catch up with him. There had been too many ups and downs, too many emotions, too many harsh words said in anger. Joe winced as the accusations Frank had hurled at him only a few nights earlier echoed in his mind. He'd already forgiven his brother, but forgetting what had been said was proving much harder than Joe had anticipated.

Sometimes words hurt more than weapons ever could and Joe was still deeply affected by Frank's words, and he could tell, at times, Frank sensed that. Joe sighed and leaned forward, resting his forearms on the rail of the bed.

"I do forgive you, Frank, but I need time to get past everything you said. You have to give me that time. You can't die now. You can't leave it like this. There have already been too many tragedies – we can't be the next one."

Watching the comforting rise and fall of Frank's chest and hearing the reassuring steady beep of the heart monitor, Joe's tired mind was lulled into restless wandering. The "what if" scenario that had popped into his head a few hours earlier still lingered there and now, more than ever, he wished they could go back in time and relive the last four months.

"What if you had picked Callie instead of me?" Joe asked the question that had been haunting him. "How differently would things have turned out? Nash just wanted to play mind games with you…and Callie. He still would have let us all go that night…maybe. And maybe there wouldn't have been any misunderstandings at all. And none of this would have happened." Joe closed his eyes, resting his forehead on his arms. "God, I'd give anything to turn back time."

Tired and exhausted, Joe wondered how much bad luck, how many tragedies his family could survive before they completely fell apart. Hadn't it already happened to Frank? Who would be next? Joe thought of the unfairness of it all, of how just when he was certain things couldn't get any worse, fate would deal them another blow, seemingly worse than the last. When would it end?

Jenkins had been behind bars since last summer, and yet with Nash still loose, the aftershocks had continued, like a runaway train. Pete Davis had been enlisted, ostensibly to help them find Nash and put him away. Instead, it seemed increasingly likely that Davis would now be added to their list of suspects. Which left Nash free to continue his reign of terror.

' _Or not!'_ Joe thought. His head shot up as everything suddenly started to make sense. With a tight smile, he realized that, with a little luck, things might now start to turn in their favor.

Joe opened his mouth to speak, and then hesitated, feeling slightly foolish. He'd always bounced his theories off Frank, no matter how crazy they seemed, and he had automatically started to do so now, even though his brother couldn't possibly hear him.

' _Oh, what the heck,'_ he thought, wryly. ' _Why not?'_

"Okay, listen up, Frank. When Jenkins was arrested, the Cape May police sent Pete Davis, supposedly their best, brightest and most noble officer to help us round up Nash and the rest of his buddies," Joe said, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he described Davis's reputation within Cape May. "Still, he was always one step ahead of us. We could never catch him or any of his pals. It was always like he knew when we got a lead on him or where we were looking for him. Turns out he probably did.

"Dad and I think he's been involved in illegal activities in Cape May– drug smuggling among other things – for years now. Cape May is a pretty small area. There can't be many drug lords here, which means there's probably one gang that controls this whole region. If so, it would make sense that Davis and Nash have probably been working together for years. Viola! Davis is the reason Nash was always one step ahead of us," Joe thought bitterly, recalling how Davis was so eager to help once he'd arrived in Bayport.

"But he made one stupid mistake. That stamp on the boxes of cake Callie got was really an official stamp of the Cape May County police department! And he was dumb enough to use it, thinking he'd never be caught. Dad has Sam trying to dig up some dirt on him right now, and once we find it and get him behind bars, Nash will have no one to protect him. And that's when he'll go down." Joe smiled grimly, satisfied that he had found the answer to his question. His family's nightmare would end when Nash was behind bars.

Sitting back in the chair, Joe frowned. Con was still out of town, and once Sam found the slightest bit of incriminating evidence against Davis, Joe knew his father would be gone in a heartbeat wanting even more. Which left no one to go after Nash.

' _No one but me…'_ Joe thought as a slight shiver ran down his spine.

While he still hadn't remembered exactly what had happened to him at the hands of Nash, Joe could recall all too well the life threatening injuries and excruciating pain that had been the end result. In the months that followed, there were days he just wanted to give up, wishing the world would go away and let him die – or at least leave him alone with his misery. Shifting in the seat, a dull ache in his ribs rudely reminded that he still had lingering after effects.

Gazing out the window, Joe recalled the matching looks of horror on the faces of his parents when they had arrived home from Hawaii last summer to find him so battered. He knew he would never forget the way his mother had sobbed, thankful he was still alive, or the way his father would sit by his bedside every night. More than once Joe had awakened in the night to find his father in tears, still stunned at how close he had come to losing his youngest son.

Looking back at his brother, he saw the end result of yet another encounter with Nash. While Frank hadn't improved much since he'd arrived at the hospital, his condition also hadn't deteriorated, which seemed to make the doctors quite happy. Yet, his parents were once again forced to wait, hope and pray that they wouldn't have to bury one of their children. Joe felt his own eyes start to burn as he remembered the way Laura had finally broken down in Fenton's arms upon arriving at the hospital and being told of Frank's condition.

As badly as he wanted to go after Nash on his own, he knew he couldn't do it. He couldn't put his mother through that kind of hell again. Memories of Vanessa spending her entire summer helping him recover floated up from his subconscious. While she always wore a smile, he could see the pain in her eyes as she watched him fight to do the simplest things. Looking back, he wondered how she was able to sit and watch him try and fail at simple daily tasks, over and over again, without jumping in to help. Yes, he had told her he didn't want any help, he needed to do things for himself no matter how long it took. Yet he knew if the situations were reversed, there was no way he could sit back and watch her struggle just to make it through the day. Joe vowed he would never put her in that position again.

Knowing he couldn't just wait around for someone else to apprehend Nash, Joe found a compromise. Even if enough evidence was found to arrest Pete Davis, that didn't bring them any closer to Nash. They needed more information, more to go on. And Joe vowed to get that information. The next day, he would drive out to the cabin where he and Callie had been held hostage. He hadn't been back there since the night Frank had found them and rushed him to the hospital. While it was a long shot, it was still a possibility that there could be something there, some small piece of information, that could help lead them to Nash. Feeling Nash was smart enough not to return to the scene of the crime, Joe was fairly certain there was no way he would run into the man. A fact-finding mission, Joe decided. Surely, no one could object to that.

Glancing at his watch, Joe saw his time with Frank was up. Laura would be waiting, rather impatiently, for her turn to sit with Frank. Getting up, Joe took a final look at his older brother.

"We'll get him, Frank. He won't get away with this. I promise."

Returning to the waiting room, Joe saw his father talking on his cell phone, his brow creased in deep concentration as he scribbled furiously on a small note pad. As predicted, Laura was pacing back and forth in the hall. Surprisingly, she didn't give Joe a quick peck on the cheek and disappear into Frank's room. Instead, she stopped in front of her youngest son, hands on her hips and a no-nonsense look on her face that Joe knew all too well.

"I'm going to sit with Frank now and when I come out you better be gone, young man. You're exhausted and I want you to go home and get a good night's sleep. You've barely started to recover yourself. You will not spend one more night in a hospital, as a patient or a visitor. Vanessa is going to take you home and make sure you are asleep before she leaves the house. Understood?"

Glancing over his mother's shoulder, Joe caught Vanessa's eye. She shrugged and smiled sheepishly indicating she had been drafted against her will for the assignment of babysitting Joe, and knew turning it down was not an option. "Can I at least wait until Dad is off the phone so I can get an update on everything?" Joe asked, doing his best puppy dog impersonation.

Laura eyed him critically, and then sighed. "I suppose so. But then straight home," she replied, throwing the last line over her shoulder at Vanessa, who nodded vigorously. The last thing she wanted to do was incur the wrath of Laura Hardy. With a hug and a kiss for Joe, Laura walked the short distance to Frank's room and went inside.

Wearily, Joe walked over to Vanessa and took a seat next to her on the small, hard couch, resting his head on her shoulder. He smiled when she slipped an arm around him, pulling him closer, and gently brushed her lips across his cheek. Closing his eyes, Joe took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of Vanessa's hair that he had become so addicted to, and admitted to himself how tired he really was, almost falling asleep before Fenton concluded his phone call. As he heard his father say goodbye, Joe lifted his head slightly and opened his eyes, looking at his father expectantly.

"It took a while but Sam finally got what we need." Fenton began, flipping back the pages of his notebook. "The story about Davis inheriting a family fortune is a load of bull. He's apparently one of those people who could sell water to a drowning man. No one ever even questioned his story, let alone tried to check it out."

"So he's gotta be into something illegal to drive the car he does and live in that mansion," Joe theorized.

"Drugs, guns, pornography, prostitution. You name it, he's got his hands in it," Fenton said with disgust.

"Did he find a connection to Nash? Or Jenkins?" Joe asked hopefully.

Fenton looked at his notes again as he tried to decide just how best to break the news to Joe. Realizing there was no easy way, he looked Joe in the eyes.

"Davis and Jenkins are cousins."


	26. Chapter 26

**Note:** _Thank you to those who have been kind enough to leave reviews since the last chapter: Tin Dog, Paulina Ann, Evergreen Dreamweaver, max 2013, Caranath, and BMSH. We appreciate your feedback!_

Consequences

Chapter 26

Joe picked up his keys and cell phone off the bureau in his bedroom and made his way downstairs. Opening the front door, he ran right into Vanessa who was about to knock.

"Hey, Babe, what are you doing here?" Joe asked startled.

"Not happy to see me?" Vanessa parried.

"I'm always happy to see you." Joe pulled her close and punctuated it with a kiss.

"So aren't you going to ask me in?" Vanessa raised an eyebrow. Joe had obviously been on his way out in a rather big hurry.

"Uh…actually I was going somewhere," Joe said vaguely.

"To see Frank?"

"Not exactly," Joe replied, nervously.

"Then what…exactly…" Vanessa crossed her arms over her chest and stared at Joe blocking his path.

Joe exhaled loudly. One look at Vanessa and he knew he couldn't sweet talk his way around this. "I'm going back to Cape May. The Pine Barrens," he admitted.

"What?!" Vanessa cried out. "Why?"

"Nash has to be stopped. He tried to kill me. He tried to kill Frank. He did kill the baby… he has to be stopped, Van, and I'm going to do it," Joe said firmly.

"Joe, please," Vanessa begged, her eyes filling with tears immediately. "I almost lost you once because of him. Please, don't go."

"I have to, Baby. Besides, I'm going back to the cabin where he first took Callie and me. I don't expect to find _him_ there. I'm just hoping to find some clue as to where he may have gone; where he might be now. I won't be in any danger at all." Joe said reassuringly. "Trust me, I want back up – and a lot of it – the next time I run into him."

"Fine. Then I'm going with you," Vanessa said resolutely.

"No. Absolutely not." Joe shook his head adamantly.

"Why not? You just said you're only going to look around. There's no danger at all," she challenged him. "If that's true, then there's no reason I can't go, too."

Joe stared at his girlfriend realizing he'd just dug himself into a hole. He really _didn't_ think there would be any danger, but he'd learned that Nash could turn up in the most unexpected places. There was a slight chance that he might actually run into Nash and he did not want Vanessa to be caught in the crossfire if that happened.

"Please, Joe," Vanessa begged, seeing Joe was about to deny her request. "I just want to be with you. You almost died the last time you met up with Nash. I…I'm afraid if I say goodbye now, if I let you go alone, I'll…" She stopped, her voice breaking. "I'm afraid I'll never see you alive again."

Joe felt a stab of pain at the tone in Vanessa's voice. She was terrified that if she let him out of her sight, the next time she saw him he'd be dead. And he found he could understand exactly how she felt. Still, Joe didn't want to risk her being there on the off chance he encountered Nash. A tiny voice in the back of his mind told him not to let her come along, although this time he wasn't quite sure if it was one of his never fail gut instincts, or just nervousness knowing his father would have a fit if he knew of Joe's plans for the day.

"I promise I'll stay in the car. I won't try and help. I'll do whatever you ask," Vanessa pleaded. "Please let me come…" She moved a few steps closer, putting her arms around his neck and laying her head on his shoulder.

"Please, Joe, don't make me stay here and wonder whether you're dead or alive. Please…"

The second Joe felt Vanessa's touch, the last of his resolve slipped away. Instinctively, he wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his face in her hair.

"You have to stay in the car," Joe said, his voice muffled.

"I will," she whispered.

"Doors locked."

"Okay."

Joe pulled away just enough to look in her eyes. "And if you even suspect I'm in trouble, I want you to get out of there as fast as possible."

"But…"

"No but's, Vanessa. I do NOT want you caught in the middle if something happens. Nash put both me and Callie in the hospital. Frank is still there because of him. I don't want you to be his next victim," Joe said, his voice shaking at the thought. "That's the deal. Take it or leave it."

"I promise. If you get in trouble I'll leave immediately and go get help," she promised, sealing it with a kiss.

"Okay." Joe gave her a smile, ignoring the little voice in his head, certain it was just nerves. "Let's go."

A few hours later, Joe turned off the engine and gazed at the cabin several yards away. Glancing at the rutted dirt road, he felt a chill run down his spine as his eyes glazed over. Somewhere, deep in the recesses of his memory…

 _Joe felt the hard ground beneath his back. He felt the ropes digging into his wrists as his arms were pulled over his head. Voices echoed in his mind, laughing at him, taunting him. Nash. Jenkins. He heard the click of a chain being attached to the tow hook. Nash's face was now looking down on him, with the ever present smirk. Joe heard the truck's engine roar to life…_

The cabin started to come back into focus and Joe heard Vanessa's voice.

"Joe? Are you alright?"

When she reached over and touched him Joe almost jumped out of his skin and flinched away from her. It took a moment for his racing heart to slow down and his breathing to start returning to normal as he realized his memory was beginning to return.

"Joe?" Vanessa repeated, her eyes filled with worry.

"I…I'm fine," Joe said, his voice a little unsteady. Taking a deep breath, he gave her a shaky smile. "Really, I'm okay. Now, when I get out lock the doors. Don't get out of the car no matter what."

"Promise." Vanessa leaned over and kissed his cheek.

"And if I run into trouble…"

"I'll go get help."

"That's my girl," Joe replied, returning the kiss. "I love you, Baby," he said softly as he got out of the car.

"I love you, too," Vanessa replied, watching Joe slowly walk towards the cabin where all their nightmares had originated.

As Joe approached the structure, he found bits and pieces of his memory floating back to him…

 _Joe turned his head to the side. Callie was standing on the porch, her arms tied around the support pillar. She was looking out at him lying in the dirt road, tears streaming down her face. A jolt ran through him as he heard the sound of the truck's engine followed by her piercing screams._ _His arms felt as if they were being ripped from his body._

Shaking his head to throw off the distressing images, Joe opened the door and stepped inside. Looking around, he knew his search wouldn't take long. This had been a crime scene after all and the police had been through it with fine-toothed comb. Still, Joe had hoped they might have overlooked something – something he would find.

' _Wouldn't be the first time,'_ he thought hopefully.

After carefully searching every room including the basement, which brought another onslaught of painful memories, Joe concluded there was nothing in the cabin that could possibly lead him to Nash. Dejected, he made his way out of the cabin and started walking back to the car.

As he approached, Joe stared at Vanessa sitting in the passenger seat reading the book she had brought along, unaware he was watching her. As always, he was struck by how beautiful she was and wondered for the umpteenth time why she even put up with him. No matter what happened, what kind of trouble he got into, she always stuck by him. Through thick and thin, whenever he was hurt or sick, for better or worse…Joe smiled to himself realizing how closely his thoughts paralleled marriage vows and that was when it hit him. She was the _**one**_. He was absolutely certain of it.

' _Guess I'll have to do something about that when we get home…'_ he thought, grinning.

As Joe picked up his pace and got closer to the car, something in the trees off to his right caught his eye. The sunlight was hitting something…something shiny…metal… Joe removed his sunglasses and squinted slightly, his breath catching in his throat as the object – and the person holding it - came into focus.

"No." He said out loud. "No!"

Breaking into a run, Joe began waving his arms, trying to get Vanessa's attention. "Vanessa!" he screamed. "Get out! Get out now!" His heart pounding, Joe realized she couldn't hear him. "VANESSA! GET OUT OF THE CAR NOW!"

Suddenly, a gunshot echoed through the silence of the woods, kicking up the dirt at Joe's feet. Instinctively, he threw himself to the ground, rolling to the side of the dirt road, landing in the ditch running alongside it. As Joe raised his head to warn Vanessa again, he saw his worst nightmare come true. The nightmare that still haunted him to this day. Too far away to do anything, Joe heard another gunshot and watched helplessly as his car exploded and erupted in a ball of flames, taking Vanessa along with it.


	27. Chapter 27

**Note:** _This chapter is short, so I'll be posting an update in two days- earlier than normal. Thanks so much to Paulina Ann, max 2013, Caranath, EvergreenDreamweaver, and BMSH for your kind comments on the last chapter._

Consequences

Chapter 27

Joe lay flat on his back, momentarily dazed, having been thrown by the force of the explosion, landing heavily several yards away. Lying in the underbrush, Joe refused to open his eyes, knowing this had to be a dream – a nightmare. It had to be. Fate couldn't possibly be so cruel as to let this happen twice in one lifetime. But the crackling of the fire and the smell of smoke told him otherwise. As tears burned his eyes, Joe prayed harder than he ever had in his life.

"Please, not again. Not Vanessa, too," he begged.

Slowly opening his eyes, Joe lifted his head and saw his car completely engulfed in flames, knowing Vanessa was trapped inside, because of him. He had ordered her to stay in the car no matter what and she had followed his instructions to the letter. And now she was dead because of it.

Joe dragged himself to his knees, unable to tear his eyes away from the burning hulk. Yellow-orange flames danced in front of him as thick black smoke billowed out over the trees.

"Why couldn't you take _**me**_ this time?!" Joe screamed into the brilliant blue sky. " **WHY** did you have to take her?! _**WHY**_?!"

"Why?" a voice taunted him. "Because dating you is like the kiss of death. Tell me, has any woman you loved ever lived through the experience?"

Very slowly, Joe got to his feet and turned to face his tormentor, his hands instinctively balling into fists.

"Nice to see you again, Joe," Nash smirked. "How's your brother? And his fiancée?"

Joe stared at the man who had become his family's worst nightmare, not saying a word.

"I'd ask how your pretty girlfriend is but…I don't like to be cruel," Nash laughed evilly.

Joe took one step forward, then another.

"Ah, ah, ah," Nash waved the gun in his hand. "Stay right where you are."

Ignoring the warning, Joe took another step, his heart now cold as ice and shattered into a million pieces. Another step and Joe could feel all his emotions shutting down, one by one, until he felt nothing at all.

"I said stop," Nash ordered, leveling the gun on Joe.

Joe continued moving forward, as if in a trance. His eyes showed no fear, no anger, no grief and, for the first time in his life, Nash was afraid. The look on Joe's face was that of a man who had lost everything. A man who had nothing left to lose and had only one thing to gain – revenge.

As Nash started to squeeze the trigger, something sailed through the air landing near his feet. Instinctively, he looked up, assuming whatever it was had fallen from the tree branches above him. Joe needed no invitation to take advantage of Nash's momentary distraction. With stunning swiftness, Joe threw himself at Nash. Caught off guard, the gun flew from Nash's hand and he quickly went down.

Totally unprepared for Joe's vicious assault, Nash found it was all he could do to try and defend himself from the blur of punches, knees and kicks Joe was throwing at him. Attempting to mount any kind of offense was out of the question.

Despite Nash's upraised arms, several of Joe's punches connected, leaving Nash dazed. As Joe's relentless assault continued Nash's arms fell, leaving his head and face unprotected and Joe took full advantage landing punch after punch. It was several minutes later when Joe finally stopped, leaving Nash bloody and bruised. His right eye was swollen shut with the left eye quickly following suit. Blood dripped steadily from a broken nose and his breathing was harsh and ragged, courtesy of several broken ribs. Now barely conscious, Nash felt Joe grab the front of his shirt, lifting his upper body off the ground. As he dangled from Joe's grasp like a rag doll, Nash saw the knockout punch coming and was powerless to stop it. His now limp body fell to the ground.

Breathing heavily, Joe slowly got to his feet and stared at the man who had cost him everything. The silver metal of the gun Nash had dropped, which was now lying amidst the trampled grass and crushed leaves, caught Joe's eye. Moving on autopilot, feeling nothing, Joe reached down and picked it up, staring at it as if mesmerized. Placing both hands over the barrel of the gun, Joe extended his arms forward. Holding the gun steady, Joe aimed it at Nash, sighting dead center on his forehead.

"You tried to kill me. You turned Frank against me. You tore Frank and Callie apart. You killed their baby. Frank could still die because of you. And Vanessa…" Joe choked on a sob as his vision blurred with tears. "Oh, God… Vanessa..."

' _Why does everyone I love have to die?'_

Trying to still his badly shaking hands, Joe made the decision that would change his life forever.


	28. Chapter 28

**Note:** _As promised, this chapter is a little bit early. Thank you very much to this following and to those of you who left kind reviews: Paulina Ann, max 2013, BMSH, EvergreenDreamweaver, and Caranath (I laughed out loud at "save the cost of a trial, Joe")._

Consequences

Chapter 28

Joe stood over Nash, lying unconscious at his feet, the gun aimed at his forehead never wavering. Joe knew what he was about to do was wrong, but he no longer cared. Vanessa was gone. As far as Joe was concerned, when she died, the rest of his life died with her. Spending the rest of his life in prison would be a small price to pay in avenging her death and all the heartbreak Nash had caused his family. Praying for forgiveness, Joe started to squeeze the trigger.

"Don't do it, Joe." He could hear Vanessa's voice echoing in his head, clear as day.

"I'm sorry, Van," he whispered. "I have to."

"No, you don't." Joe heard her voice again, scared at how real, how alive she sounded, almost as if she were right next to him.

"Yes, I do," he said, squeezing his eyes shut, unable to comprehend how he was going to survive without the love of his life. ' _If only I had insisted she stay home…'_

Suddenly Joe felt soft, gentle hands covering his and Vanessa's voice whispering softly in his ear. "Give me the gun, Joe. You don't need it."

His eyes flew open and Joe turned towards the sound of her voice.

Dropping the gun, Joe quickly took a few steps back.

' _Oh, God… I'm hallucinating! I'm losing my mind!'_

Joe stared at what he knew had to be an apparition – his mind playing tricks on him. Beautiful gray eyes stared back at him, filled with concern. Unable to take his eyes off Vanessa's image, he took in her torn shirt and mussed hair with a few stray leaves clinging to the ash-blonde strands, the beginnings of a small purple bruise making itself known on her cheek.

"I heard you," Vanessa smiled at him, taking a few steps forward. "I heard you yell to get out of the car."

Joe's knees buckled and he sank to the ground as the reality hit him…Vanessa was alive! As she knelt beside him, Joe reached out a shaking hand and touched her cheek, half expecting to feel nothing, but thin air. Vanessa smiled and turned her head slightly, leaning into his caress.

"You…you're…you're alive!" Joe choked out. Grabbing her with both arms, Joe pulled Vanessa into him, holding her so tightly she almost winced. A conflicting tidal wave of emotions suddenly engulfed Joe, his feelings swiftly changing from shock to disbelief to relief and he found himself unable to stop the tears that came out of nowhere.

Wrapping her arms around him, Vanessa could feel Joe shaking badly. Glancing at Nash, lying unconscious on the ground, she felt a hatred so intense it scared her. She couldn't even imagine the terror Joe must have felt, watching his car explode in a ball of flames, thinking she was trapped inside, reliving the worst nightmare of his life. For one brief second, she wished she hadn't stopped Joe from killing Nash, as the depths of his cruelty became chillingly clear. All the torment he had already inflicted on Joe and his family wasn't enough.

Even after Joe thought she had disappeared in a ball of flames, just as Iola had, Nash wasn't satisfied. Vanessa had heard the mocking, derisive taunts Nash had happily used to persecute Joe even further, knowing the mental torture would be far worse than any kind of physical pain he could inflict. Praying there was a special place in hell reserved for Nash, Vanessa returned her attention to Joe.

"It's okay, Baby," she said softly, stroking his hair. "I'm fine – thanks to you." Vanessa continued her soft murmurs of comfort, until Joe's silent tears and trembling slowed and then finally ceased.

Very slowly, Joe sat back and stared at Vanessa, still refusing to release her completely.

"How?" he asked hoarsely.

"I heard you yelling. I couldn't make out exactly what you were saying but I knew you wanted me to get out of the car." She smiled at him. "I wasn't sure what was going on, so I opened the door and ran for the woods. When the car exploded, it threw me a little ways. Knocked the breath out of me for a minute."

Reaching out, Joe gently brushed the bruise on her cheek, worry creasing his brow. "Are you hurt?"

"No. Just a bruise or two," Vanessa assured him, before peering at him a little more closely. "What about you? Are you all right?"

Joe took a deep breath and allowed himself a shaky smile. "I am now," he replied, pulling Vanessa closer and kissing her deeply.

As they separated a moment later, the crackling of the fire and smell of smoke brought back the reality of the situation. Looking from the burning wreck of his car, to Nash still lying unconscious on the ground, Joe realized they were stranded and needed help.

"Any chance you salvaged one of our cell phones?" Joe asked Vanessa hopefully.

"I grabbed my purse when I jumped out, but I lost it when the car exploded," Vanessa replied, pushing herself to a standing position. Looking around, she tried to get her bearings. "It should be over there somewhere." She pointed towards the trees on the other side of the flaming wreckage.

Joe stood up and took her hand, clutching it tightly. He started off in the direction Vanessa indicated, when she pulled him back.

"Do you think we should leave him here unguarded, even for a second?" she asked, pointing at Nash. Despite the fact that Nash looked as if he had gone several rounds with Mike Tyson and wouldn't be coming to for a very long time, she didn't trust him.

"Probably not," Joe agreed. He reached down and picked up the gun from where Vanessa had discarded it on the ground. "Go see if you can find your purse. I'll stay with him."

Vanessa looked at the gun in Joe's hand dubiously. "Uh, you're not going to…"

"No." Joe shook his head and gave her a little smile. "That would be too good for him. I want him to go to prison and suffer."

"Okay," Vanessa nodded and headed off towards the trees. She returned several moments later, triumphantly holding her purse aloft. Rummaging through it, she pulled out her cell phone and handed it to Joe.

"I saw some rope on the porch." Joe jerked his head towards the cabin as he dialed 911. "Can you run up there and get it so we can tie him up?"

Vanessa quickly ran to the porch and retrieved the rope, returning to hear Joe reporting the fire and requesting police and an ambulance. Finishing the call, he took the rope and bound Nash's hands and feet, taking a little pleasure in tying the ropes much tighter than he knew they needed to be. Returning to Vanessa's side, he took the cell phone once again, but hesitated before dialing.

Looking at the flames still shooting from what was left of his car, Joe sighed. "Dad isn't gonna be happy about this."

"On the contrary," Vanessa said, wrapping an arm around his waist. "I think he'll be thrilled. Your car may be totaled but _you're_ fine. _And_ you caught Nash. Maybe now we'll finally be able to put this nightmare behind us."

Laying her head on Joe's shoulder, she listened as Joe called his father and began to explain what had happened. She winced, hearing Fenton's initial displeasure with Joe for taking off on his own coming through loud and clear. But just as she predicted, by the time Joe had finished giving his father all the details, Fenton was grateful that Joe and Vanessa hadn't been hurt and Nash had finally been captured and would be made to pay for the hell he had put their family through. After being assured by Fenton that he would meet them at the hospital, Joe hung up, as the sounds of sirens announced the arrival of the fire department.

After quickly explaining to the fire chief what had happened, Joe and Vanessa moved out of the way. As they watched and waited, Joe glanced at Vanessa huddled in his arms. He shivered inside as it hit him how close he had come to losing her forever. The revelation he'd had as he was walking to the car earlier cemented itself in his heart, and he vowed, as soon as this case was wrapped up, he was going to act on that revelation.


	29. Chapter 29

**Note:** T _his chapter is a little bit early- only four more chapters to go!. Thank you very much to this following and to those of you who left kind reviews: Penlew, max 2013, Guest, EvergreenDreamweaver, and Caranath._

Consequences

Chapter 29

Joe paced the waiting room nervously, his gaze darting between the entrance to the emergency room and the hospital's main entrance. He and Vanessa had already given their statements to the police and Vanessa was now being checked out by the emergency room physician at Joe's insistence. At first she had refused, saying she was fine, but seeing how responsible Joe felt for what had happened and the worry reflected in his eyes, she had decided having a doctor assure Joe she was fine would be well worth the inconvenience.

Despite the fact that Fenton was enormously relieved that Nash was now in custody and Joe and Vanessa were unhurt, Joe knew his father would still be angry with him. With a sigh, Joe finally admitted he shouldn't have gone off without back up, even if it was just to look for clues. And he most definitely shouldn't have allowed Vanessa to accompany him. Trying for the millionth time to come up with something to diffuse his father's anger, Joe realized his time had run out when he heard his name reverberate through the tiny waiting room.

"Joseph Hardy!"

Wincing, Joe turned to face the fury of Fenton Hardy. "Hi, Dad." Joe smiled weakly. To his complete surprise, Fenton raced to his side, enveloping Joe in a hug so tight Joe's ribs started to hurt. Now fully understanding how distraught his father must have been when he got Joe's phone call, Joe returned the embrace until it became truly painful for him.

"Ow…Dad, my ribs are killing me," Joe said, attempting to pull away.

"Oh! Oh, I'm sorry," Fenton replied, immediately releasing Joe and quickly wiping at his eyes. "How's Vanessa?"

"She says she's fine. I just wanted to be sure so…" Joe waved in the direction of the emergency room doors. "They're just taking some precautionary x-rays and she'll be done. The force of the blast threw her around a little."

Fenton nodded, looking a little more relieved. "Good, that's a good idea." Fenton said somewhat distractedly. "What about you? Have you been checked out yet?"

"Um, I really wasn't close enough to the blast for it to affect me," Joe lied.

Fenton nodded, satisfied. Just as Joe was saying a silent prayer of thanks that his father wasn't going to insist he be checked out also, he saw his father's expression start to change as immense relief and unbridled anger began warring for supremacy in his eyes. When Fenton grabbed Joe's arm and roughly pulled him to a corner of the waiting room, Joe realized which emotion had won out.

"If you ever, I mean EVER, do something like that again you won't have to worry about the bad guys killing you because I'll do it myself!" Fenton hissed, shaking with anger he was barely able to control. Joe opened his mouth to offer some kind of defense, but quickly realized it was better to let Fenton get it all out without interruption.

"Damnit, Joe, do you have any idea what it felt like for me to get that phone call?! You almost died last summer - DIED - because of Nash. Your brother is still unconscious because of him. So far it looks like he'll live, but we have no idea of what the quality of his life will be! God, for one horrible second I thought I was going to have to bury both my sons!" Fenton cried out, his voice breaking slightly.

"Dad, I'm sorry," Joe said softly.

"That's not enough this time, Joe. You not only put yourself in danger, but Vanessa, too. What if she had died in that explosion? How were you going to explain that to Andrea? And would you be able to live with yourself afterwards?" Fenton asked the questions that had been whirling through Joe's mind all afternoon.

"You're right, Dad. Absolutely right. And even though I really wasn't gunning for Nash, the fact that I purposely didn't tell you what I was doing today should have been enough for me to realize it was wrong. I'm so sorry I put you through that, Dad," Joe told his father sincerely, knowing it was going to take a very long time before this was forgotten, if ever.

Fenton stared at his son for a moment, reaching out to wipe a smudge of dirt off his cheek. "Don't ever put me through that again, Joe. Ever," Fenton said softly, and then gently pulled Joe close to him for a hug.

"Never again," Joe whispered, hugging his father tightly. "Promise."

"I don't envy you having to explain this to your mother," Fenton chuckled with a final squeeze, before releasing Joe.

"You mean you didn't tell her?!" Joe cried out, aghast.

"No, I didn't tell her!" Fenton replied with a smile. "I'm not suicidal."

"But, Dad…you can't expect ME to tell her!" Joe squealed.

"Why not?" Fenton laughed, now thoroughly amused.

"She'll kill me!" Joe exclaimed in horror. "Come on, Dad. I'm just a kid. I'm your baby, remember? It's your responsibility to protect me from bodily harm!"

"Are you kidding? I don't even want to be in the same state when she finds out about this."

"Do I have to tell her?" Joe whined. "Van and I are fine. I mean I don't want to get Mom all upset over nothing. There's really no reason she needs to know about this, right?" Joe turned up the charm full force.

"And how are you going to explain the sudden disappearance of your car?" Fenton asked, wryly.

"Oh…yeah…" Joe responded dejectedly.

"Your mother is a pretty perceptive woman. Somehow I think she'd notice that," Fenton grinned.

As Joe muttered about his imminent demise at the hands of his own mother, Fenton moved to a quiet corner to answer his ringing cell phone. He continued watching Joe a moment longer as Vanessa entered the room, appearing none the worse for wear.

Upon seeing Vanessa, Joe was by her side in seconds, taking her in his arms for a hug and a kiss before asking for the doctor's prognosis.

"I'm fine," Vanessa told him, still touched by his concern. "Just a couple bumps and bruises, that's all."

"Well, even that's too much, as far as I'm concerned," Joe frowned. "I'm so sorry, Van. If I had insisted you stay home none of this would have happened."

"Yes, it would have, Joe. Except my worst nightmare might have turned into reality," she replied, laying her head on his shoulder.

Joe needed no further explanation as to what she meant. During the police questioning, Joe learned that Vanessa had seen his confrontation with Nash and thrown a rock in their direction, hoping to distract Nash long enough for Joe to seize control of the situation. Had she not been there, more than likely, Nash still would have gleefully shot out the gas tank of Joe's car, the only difference being Joe would have been the one to disappear in the blazing inferno. Understanding that Vanessa very well may have saved his life, Joe held her a little tighter, knowing he had to do something to make their relationship permanent.

"Vanessa, how are you feeling?" Fenton's voice interrupted them.

"I'm fine." Vanessa smiled, pulling away from Joe slightly.

"Good. I'm very glad to hear that," Fenton replied, turning his attention to Joe. "That was Sam. Apparently he found the key to Davis's Pandora's Box! He's got so much concrete evidence of all the dirty dealings he's been involved with, Davis will never be able to talk his way out of it. He took some members of the Cape May Police Department he knew could be trusted to Davis's house, where they found him trying to pack up and leave town. He practically handed them all the evidence they needed on a silver platter. He's now safely in the county jail."

"That's great!" Joe enthused. "What are we waiting for? Let's get over there! I have a few things I'd like to say to the guy!"

"Not so fast, young man. You and Vanessa are going back to the hospital so you can explain to your mother exactly what happened this afternoon," Fenton told him. "Sam and I will take care of the paperwork on Davis. I want to make sure we've dotted all the "i's" and crossed all the "t's" so he can't get out on a technicality. Everything strictly by the book."

"But, Dad…" Joe began in earnest.

"No, I will not tell your mother for you and you are not talking your way out of this," Fenton said firmly. "It was your choice to run off to Cape May, so it's your responsibility to explain it to her." Fenton couldn't help but laugh at the forlorn expression on Joe's face. Turning to Vanessa, he winked at her. "Just don't let Laura kill him, alright?"

"I'll do my best," Vanessa replied, giving Joe a peck on the cheek.

As the threesome left the hospital, Joe mumbled something about being led to the gallows.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A few hours later, Fenton sat in the Bayport Police station, once again shaking his head as he spoke with Sam.

"Unbelievable, isn't it?" Sam questioned with a small smile. "Fenton, it's been one hell of a time for you, hasn't it?"

"You've no idea," Fenton replied with a sigh. "I still can't believe how ludicrous this whole situation became. The answer was RIGHT HERE- in front of us-the whole time. How, Sam? How does it happen that a criminal can become a police officer, and I couldn't have seen it? Isn't that my job?"

"Well, Davis was slick," Sam added consolingly. "He fooled the entire Cape May Police Department. He got past Con-and you know as well as I do that no one gets past him."

"Someone did this time, though," Fenton said evenly. "And we need to make sure that it never happens again." Slowly, he rubbed his eyes, tired beyond belief at the day's events.

"How are the boys?" Sam asked gently.

Fenton looked up, sadly. "Joe, thank God, will be okay. I still can't believe he went after Nash alone." His voice trailed off.

"Well, that's Joe for you," Sam added with a wry smile. "He's always been a spontaneous one, ever since he was a baby. Trouble always found him."

"Not this time," Fenton replied. "He found trouble. You ever have one of those moments where you want to both hold your kid so tightly and strangle him at the same time?"

Sam laughed. "Too often." Then he added, "He'll learn from this, Fenton. I know Joe. He's a lot of things, but stupid isn't one of them. You told me before that he gave you his word, and I know that he'll keep it."

"I certainly hope so," Fenton answered sadly. "I came so close-to losing my family." Suddenly, he had to stop. Although Sam was a close friend, getting emotional around non-family members was something he wasn't in the practice of doing. The events of the past few weeks, the tremendous emotional strain of having almost lost his two sons, was still a wound that was too new to speak of.

"Vanessa's okay?" Sam asked awkwardly, seeing the turmoil Fenton was going through.

"Yeah," Fenton nodded.

"And Frank?"

Shaking his head, Fenton slowly got up and looked through the window. The daylight was fading, and he was almost grateful that one more day in agony was almost at an end. The rain had been heavy, almost serving to parallel his own feelings of despair. Turning to his friend, Fenton could only say, "I pray to God, Sam. I pray to God."

Suddenly, there was a ringing of the phone. Sam excused himself to answer it while Fenton allowed himself a few moments to collect his thoughts.

Close to twenty minutes later, Sam emerged from the back room, a huge grin on his face.

"Win the lottery?" Fenton asked, dryly.

"Better. You're not going to believe this."

Fenton raised his eyebrows. "Sam, there's little I WON'T believe at this point," he responded.

"That was Davis' attorney on the phone. Since he knew his cousin was a dangerous man, he wanted to cop a plea claiming that he was being coerced by Jenkins and he feared for his life."

Fenton felt his face pale a bit. "No one would be stupid enough to entertain that, I presume."

"No, we went ahead with it."

"What?" Fenton declared, outraged.

Sam laughed. "Listen, Fenton. Jenkins was already in prison. He was awaiting sentencing for a multitude of charges, everything from racketeering to murder. Of course, he never bothered to inform Nash of his intentions that he was still going after Callie and using Davis to do it. Which is why Nash must have been so surprised to see first Frank, then Joe. He was minding his own, dirty business. Naturally, we have them both now, and these charges - because of what they did to Frank-" He paused a moment, then went on. "They'll be enough to get life in prison, without the possibility of parole."

"But you said Davis might strike a deal."

"He did," Sam said with a smile. "Since he feared for his life so much, we made sure that we'd send him to a maximum security prison where he'd have to spend some time in solitary confinement-namely, 23 of 24 hours a day through sentencing. After all, we have to protect our finest," he added seriously.

Instantly, Fenton felt tears spring to his eyes, and he turned away from Sam, who left him for a few moments. Walking outside, Fenton leaned against the cold, brick building, knowing that in a few hours he'd be back at the hospital, waiting to see if Frank would be okay.

Looking up at the clearing sky above, he swallowed the lump that had begun to form in his throat and allowed himself to reflect upon the worst months of his life. But….

Joe had faced Nash twice, and survived.

Vanessa was okay, and solidly, he knew, she would be with his son for a long, long time.

Callie had made it through a miscarriage and an almost fatal poisoning and, even if she wasn't still engaged to Frank, Fenton was confidant that she still loved him deeply.

Nash, Jenkins, and Pete Davis were behind bars.

"I need one more miracle, God," Fenton whispered to no one in particular. "One more."

At that very moment, as the rain ceased, Fenton saw the smallest of rainbows form through the mist before disappearing into the haze.

And he smiled.


	30. Chapter 30

**Note:** _Many thanks to those reading and following! Special thanks to Barb (and for the mention of "Stages of Conviction"- glad you like it!), BMSH, EvergreenDreamweaver, max 2013, Paulina Ann, Caranath (yes, the Frank and Callie issue could go wither way! :) )._

Consequences

Chapter 30

Forty eight hours after he had arrived in the emergency room, Frank's doctor was able to give the Hardys the good news they had been praying for - given a little time to heal, Frank was expected to make a full recovery. The second endoscopy showed much less internal damage than had originally been feared. The caustic substance Frank had been forced to drink had caused only minor burns, which should heal with no scarring or permanent damage. It was thought that there had been very little of the cleaning agent left in the bottle and that, combined with the quick work of the EMT's in administering an antidote, had saved Frank's life.

As Joe sat watching his older brother sleep, he was thankful that Frank would make a complete recovery, physically. Frank had been lapsing in and out of consciousness for the previous twenty-four hours, but due to uncanny bad timing, Joe hadn't been present the few times Frank had awakened and still hadn't been able to speak to his brother. As a result, Joe was still concerned about Frank's mental and emotional recovery.

As he waited for Frank to wake up, Joe sighed recalling the "confrontation" he'd had with his mother the previous day, shortly after arriving at the hospital. After Joe had explained to Laura how he had spent the majority of his day and what happened to his car, she had read him the riot act, hugged him fiercely, told him how much she loved him and then put him on what Joe referred to as a "very short leash". Laying out exactly when Joe could visit Frank, when he could help his father, when he could spend time with Vanessa and his friends and when he was to remain at home, Laura made sure she knew where her strong-willed, free-spirited son was at all times. Joe, now sufficiently chastised, knew better than to argue with her.

Hearing the door to Frank's room open, Joe turned to see Vanessa.

"Hey, Babe." He smiled happily, opening his arms invitingly.

"Hi." Vanessa accepted the invitation, allowing Joe to pull her onto his lap as she melted into his welcoming kiss. "Mmm." She pulled away a moment later. "That's nice."

"So why stop?" Joe said huskily, pulling her close to him and indulging in a much longer kiss.

 _Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!_

Joe and Vanessa jumped apart at the sound, turning in the direction of the loud rapping noise. Immediately Vanessa burst into laughter, as Joe blushed furiously, despite his relief that Frank was finally awake. Not being permitted to talk yet, Frank was holding up a wipe off board showing three words written in large block letters:

 **GET A ROOM!**

"Well if you didn't spend so much time sleeping, I wouldn't have to find other ways to amuse myself!" Joe responded with a smile. "Nice to have you back, big brother."

Frank smiled at both Joe and Vanessa, nodding in agreement, before writing a few quick words on the board.

 **BEEN HERE LONG?**

"Most of the day, since I wasn't here much yesterday," Joe replied.

Frank frowned, quickly erasing his previous message and writing a new one.

 **WHERE WERE YOU?**

"We went back to Cape May, the Pine Barrens to be exact."

As soon as the words were out of Joe's mouth, he realized he'd made a mistake. Frank was supposed to be recovering, yet he had bolted upright in the bed and his dark brown eyes were bulging with disbelief to the point that Joe thought they might just pop out of his head. A moment later, Frank seemed to recover somewhat and began scribbling furiously on the board.

 **WE?!**

"Me and Vanessa," Joe clarified.

 **YOU TOOK VANESSA?**

"Well, yeah…" Joe responded lamely.

 **BONEHEAD!**

At Frank's response, Vanessa burst into a fit of giggles as Joe shot daggers in her direction. Seeing his displeasure at her apparent mirth, she stifled her laughter but couldn't stop the occasional snicker.

"It wasn't his fault, Frank," Vanessa said, trying to stick up for Joe. "I wasn't about to let him out of my sight for a second. There was no way he was going without me."

 **DON'T DEFEND HIM!**

Frank held the board up so Vanessa could read it, before wiping it clean and writing again.

 **WHY?**

Holding the board up just long enough for Joe to see the single word, Frank then dropped it back in his lap, and flopped back against the pillows making a circling motion with his finger, signaling Joe to continue with the story.

"I wanted to see if I could find any clues, anything to tell us where Nash might be," Joe continued cautiously. "Something the police might have overlooked."

Once again, Frank became agitated, feverishly writing something else.

 **ARE YOU CRAZY?**

"That's what you're always telling me," Joe grinned, quickly wiping the smile from his face when Frank glared at him.

 **WHAT IF NASH HAD BEEN THERE?!**

Joe looked at Vanessa nervously, suddenly becoming very quiet.

 **JOE…**

"Um, maybe you should leave, Babe," Joe told Vanessa under his breath. "I think this is about to get ugly."

One look at the scowl on Frank's face told Vanessa that Joe was right.

Quickly walking to the bed, Vanessa gave Frank a peck on the cheek, and then whispered in his ear. "Please don't kill him." Turning she stopped and looked at Joe sympathetically. "I'll wait in the hall in case you need back up."

"Thanks," Joe said, thinking he might actually have to take her up on the offer. Looking over his shoulder, he watched as she walked out the door, wondering how he always seemed to get himself into these kinds of situations, when a sharp rapping sound got his attention. Turning back, he read the single word Frank had written.

 **WELL…**

"Oh, boy. Okay. Listen, bro, just remember Mom and Dad are pretty fond of me so they might get a little upset if you should decide to…you know…kill me or something." Joe winced as Frank attacked the board once more.

 **START TALKING!**

Deciding to get it all over with in one fell swoop, Joe took a deep breath and began talking, quite rapidly. Watching his brother closely, Joe was getting more nervous by the minute at Frank's rapid-fire changes in expression. Astonishment, disbelief, shock, horror, rage, anger… By the time Joe had gotten to the part about Vanessa retrieving the rope to restrain Nash until the police arrived, he wasn't exactly sure what the expression on his brother's face meant. Slack-jawed, with his mouth hanging open, Frank stared at Joe in complete and utter astonishment.

The silence dragged on as Frank tried to process everything Joe had said. Just as Joe began to worry, thinking maybe he shouldn't have been quite so honest with his brother, a slight movement of Frank's hand caught his attention and Joe suddenly realized he should be more worried about himself.

Luckily for Joe, Frank's reflexes were a little slow and he was able to dodge the black marker that came flying at his head. Frank was making some kind of sputtering noise, trying to yell at his impulsive younger brother, getting even more angry when his vocal chords refused to cooperate. To compensate Frank began waving his arms and gesticulating wildly, hoping Joe would understand just a fraction of the anger he was feeling.

"Hey, Frank, calm down, man. You're gonna hurt yourself," Joe advised, not used to seeing his normally levelheaded brother so wound up.

' _Ooops! Wrong thing to say!'_ Joe thought ducking as the wipe off board came sailing through the air narrowly missing his shoulder. A plastic cup and water pitcher quickly followed it.

Backpedaling towards the door, Joe also evaded a box of tissues, a book, a magazine and two pillows that had been lobbed in his general direction, before fleeing into the safety of the hall.

"So how'd he take it?" Vanessa asked, trying not to laugh at the distraught look on Joe's face.

"Um, actually, I think he took it pretty well," Joe replied, putting his arm around Vanessa and guiding her towards the elevator. "Frank kinda tired

himself out though, so why don't we let him rest? We can grab something to eat and come back later…when Mom and Dad are here," Joe suggested with a fearful look back over his shoulder, fully expecting to see his older brother in the hall with a new arsenal of ammunition to heave in his direction.

"You mean when there are witnesses present?" Vanessa joked.

"Yeah, something like that." Joe replied, throwing one last glance down the hall as they stepped into the security of the elevator.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Shortly after Joe escaped the barrage of missiles Frank had thrown at him, Laura returned to visit with Frank, stopping dead in her tracks when she saw the array of items littering the floor of Frank's room.

"Care to tell me what happened?" Laura asked as she set about putting the room back in order.

Frank wrote two words on the board.

 **JOE HAPPENED!**

"Ah, he told you about his day yesterday?" Laura said now fully understanding how the room had come to look as if a tornado had torn through it. "You didn't hurt him, did you?"

 **NO - COULDN'T GET CLOSE ENOUGH!**

"Well, if it's any consolation, I read him the riot act yesterday as did your father. He is now on a very tight schedule. Believe me he knows if he even thinks about trying anything in the immediate future, well, let's just say I would reconsider your father's suggestion that we lock him in his room and ground him for life." Laura smiled.

 **SOUNDS GOOD TO ME**

As Laura laughed at Frank's response, the door opened and Fenton walked in. "What's so funny?" he asked, realizing just how much he had missed the sound of laughter recently.

"Frank seems to think grounding Joe for the rest of his life wouldn't be a bad thing."

 **DO IT, DAD!**

"I tried, Frank, but your mother put her foot down. Besides, he'd be driving us crazy in less than a day or two," Fenton chuckled.

 **YOU'RE TOO EASY ON HIM!**

"Really, now? Seems to me he was just taking after his older brother," Fenton replied, arching an eyebrow. "Who might also deserve to be grounded for life…if he still lived at home."

Frank slunk down in the bed, blushing slightly from embarrassment. He'd never in his life done anything so reckless as going after Nash on his own and he seriously regretted it. Despite how badly he wanted to get Nash for what he had done to Joe and Callie, Frank realized trying to capture him single handedly was one of the most foolish things he'd ever done in his life. Taking in his mother's still slightly swollen eyes and his father, who looked like he hadn't slept in days, Frank deeply regretted the anguish he had caused them. Writing more slowly on the board, he held it up to his parents and shrugged sheepishly.

 **SORRY**

"Considering you've never done anything like that before in your life, and you were under tremendous emotional stress… I can almost understand why you did it," Fenton told him. "I don't condone it, mind you, but I think I know how you felt about wanting to get him behind bars."

 **AT LEAST HE'S THERE NOW**

Frank wrote, smiling at his father.

"He, Jenkins and Pete Davis are all behind bars now, so hopefully this nightmare is finally over." Fenton sighed as he settled into a chair next to Laura, and taking her hand in his.

 **HOW'D YOU GET DAVIS?**

Frank's eyes were alight with curiosity as he settled back to hear all the details of what had happened while he'd been incapacitated. As the events of Pete Davis' arrest unfolded, Frank listened intently to his father's story, taking in every detail, periodically using the wipe off board to pose a question. As Fenton concluded the narrative, the door opened a few inches, causing him, Laura and Frank to turn towards the sound. A few seconds later a hand appeared through the opening, waving a small white flag.

"Is it safe?" Joe's voice floated into the room.

"Yes," Laura replied laughing. "We've moved everything out of his reach."

"Does he still have that board?" Joe asked, concerned. "That thing could be declared a lethal weapon."

"Don't worry. He's using it only for its intended purpose," Laura told him, while gazing steadily at Frank.

Somewhat reassured, Joe pushed the door open, holding it while Vanessa preceded him into the room. Keeping one arm securely around her waist, Joe made sure Vanessa was directly in front of him at all times. Seeing Frank grab the board, Joe froze, ducking his head behind Vanessa, hoping to make himself as small a target as possible.

"Don't worry, I'll protect you." Vanessa patted his hand reassuringly as Laura and Fenton snickered at Frank's message for his brother.

 **HIDING BEHIND A GIRL, TOUGH GUY?**

Joe peeked out from behind Vanessa's shoulder to read note.

"I wouldn't have to if you hadn't started turning mundane objects into trajectory missiles!" Joe retorted.

Frank stared at his brother for a long moment before penning a new message.

 **YOU'RE STILL A BONEHEAD!**

"Yeah, well, it's part of my charm." Joe smiled.

Rolling his eyes, Frank wrote again.

 **SO WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENED?**

Joe looked at his father expectantly, not sure how much he had already told Frank.

"I told him about Davis. The rest of the story is yours."

"Okay, but no homemade weapons this time," Joe replied, as he led Vanessa to the empty bed on the other side of Frank, where they perched on the edge.

Frank nodded and made the sign of an "X" over his heart.

"I knew Sam and Dad had a lead on Davis and it was just a matter of time before he'd be caught, so the only one still on the loose was Nash. He had to be stopped and we had no idea where to find him."

Frank stared at his brother, shaking his head, a disapproving look on his face.

"I didn't set out to go after Nash on my own!" Joe snapped, knowing exactly what Frank was thinking. "Even I'm not _that_ crazy! I was just hoping to find some clue as to where he might be, so when Dad and Sam nabbed Davis, we could go after Nash together." Joe said emphasizing the word 'together'.

Frank held up the board, a smug, questioning look on his face.

 **DIDN'T WORK OUT THAT WAY, HUH?**

"Gee, thanks for pointing that out big brother." Joe rolled his eyes.

"Anyway, Vanessa came by the house just as I was leaving and turned on the water works so I'd let her come along." Joe turned to his girlfriend with a mild glare.

"And it worked, too." Vanessa chimed in, kissing Joe on the cheek.

From that point on Joe and Vanessa took turns relating the events of the previous afternoon. While Fenton and Laura had already heard the story in great detail, they still shuddered at how close they had come to losing Joe - again.

"Thank you, Vanessa," Laura said sincerely, when they were through. "You probably saved Joe's life yesterday."

"I had an ulterior motive," Vanessa replied blushing slightly. "I like having him around."

Putting an arm around Vanessa, Joe pulled her close. Holding her tightly he silently thanked God for keeping her safe and promised to make good on the vow he'd made to himself. Glancing at his older brother, he could only hope that Frank and Callie would eventually end up with the same happy ending.

"Ooh, I have to go." Vanessa exclaimed looking at her watch. "Promised Mom I'd be home early tonight." She turned to Joe and leaned in for a lingering goodbye kiss. "Call me when you get home tonight."

"Promise." Joe smiled.

After she said her goodbyes to Frank, Laura and Fenton, Joe looked at his mother and father. "Um, can I talk to Frank alone for a few minutes?"

"Sure, honey," Laura replied. "We'll go down to the cafeteria and get some coffee." She kissed and hugged both boys tightly, before following her husband out of the room.

Frank sat and looked expectantly at his younger brother, who was still sitting on the edge of the bed, swinging his legs back and forth, apparently contemplating the floor. After several moments of silence, Frank rapped on the message board lightly to get Joe's attention and held his hands out, shrugging his shoulders in a gesture that said, _"Well, what did you want to talk about?"_

Joe sighed, hoping he could say what he had to say without getting too 'mushy'. "Listen, Frank, we both made some stupid mistakes on this case. Sometimes it felt like we were working against each other instead of together. When you deliberately went after Nash by yourself, man, I can't even begin to tell you how scared I was. After what he did to me…I was afraid for you, Frank. Really terrified," Joe said, his voice dropping. "We just got everything straightened out between us - well, pretty much - and then there I was thinking I was going to lose you again - permanently." Pushing himself up, Joe took the few steps to stand right next to Frank's bed.

"I know you're going through the hardest time in your life right now and I'll be there for you. I will. But I still need you to be there for me too. We have to promise, from here on out, we always work together - ALWAYS - no matter what the circumstances." Joe pleaded with his brother. "Promise?"

Frank studied his younger brother closely and saw the same dark circles and pale, drawn face his father had had. Neither one of them had slept much in days and Frank knew it was because of him. Frank had gone after Nash to avenge Joe and Callie. To protect his brother and the woman he loved. Yet he knew now, while his intentions may have been good, he went about it all wrong. Picking up the wipe off board he wrote a single word.

 **PROMISE**

Joe smiled slowly, nodding in agreement, as he returned to his seat on the vacant bed. "Can I talk to you about something else?' Joe asked hesitantly.

" _Sure_." Frank mouthed.

"I want to ask Vanessa to marry me," Joe said almost reverently. "I really love her, Frank. I know she's the one. And after what happened with Nash…well, life is too short to wait."

Frank wrote two words on the board, and held it up accompanied by a huge grin.

 **ABOUT TIME!**

"Yeah, well, there's only one little problem," Joe said ruefully. "I don't have a ring. And it looks like I won't have one for a long time. I have to get a new car, there's tuition, then student loans when we graduate… Man, how can I propose without a ring?" Joe moaned, thinking back to the night Frank had asked Callie to marry him.

 **JUST DO IT!**

Frank wrote, quickly erasing it and writing again.

 **SHE'LL SAY YES**

 **RING OR NO RING!**

"But she should have a ring! How embarrassing would that be for her to tell people her boyfriend proposed but the jerk didn't even give her a ring? I don't know. Maybe I should wait until I can at least get her a small diamond," Joe mused sadly, not wanting to put it off.

 **SHE WON'T CARE**

 **SHE WANTS YOU!**

Frank wrote, pointing at the last line making sure Joe got the point.

"I know I want her," Joe smiled. He knew Frank was right. Vanessa wasn't the type of girl who needed a ring from Joe to prove how much he loved her. "I guess you're right. Still, I'll feel like a world-class heel proposing without a ring. But I don't want to lose her."

 **SO DON'T**

 **ASK HER!**

"I will." Joe smiled, knowing in his heart it was the right thing to do - ring or no ring. "I will."

Later that evening as Frank was drifting off to sleep, he couldn't help but think of the irony. Joe wanted desperately to propose to Vanessa and felt horrible that he had no ring to show how much he loved her. Frank _had_ proposed to Callie and given her a ring that any woman would envy; yet it was totally useless to them now, representing only pain and heartache. Frank could only pray that Callie would take him back and give him a second chance. If that miracle actually happened he vowed they would start fresh, and if their future included marriage, it would be with a brand new ring that represented nothing but happiness.


	31. Chapter 31

**Note** : _Thank you for reading and following the story. Only two more chapters to go! Special thanks to those who took the time to leave a review, which is so appreciated: Barb, max 2013, BMSH, Caranath, EvergreenDreamweaver, and Paulina Ann._

Consequences

Chapter 31

Two days later, Callie finally found the nerve to go and speak with Frank. She had been staying almost non-stop at the hospital, and had been thrilled and relieved beyond her greatest expectations that Frank was going to be okay. Several times throughout the course of his stay there, she had managed to sneak in and watch him rest peacefully. Thank God, she thought for perhaps the hundredth time.

Taking a deep breath, Callie closed her eyes for a moment before she was about to enter his room. There was so very much to talk about, and yet it was one of those times when words seemed inconsequential. Quite honestly, she had no idea what she was going to say or how she was going to say it. She only knew one thing-that no matter what happened, everything would be okay-somehow-because Frank was alive. She had made one request of God, and He had granted her that wish. Now, she knew, she could not hope for more.

After she entered the room, quietly pushing the door open, she stood for several minutes watching Frank resting before he opened his eyes, as though he somehow sensed the fact that he was being watched. Slowly, he opened his eyes, and Callie was struck by the look in them. When he recognized that she was there, his eyes had softened, filled with love. Weakly he smiled at her and motioned for her to sit beside him on the bed. He stretched, as though gathering his strength.

"Hi," he said, in an incredibly raspy voice. Even the effort of speaking looked as though it pained him, physically, but he would not stop. He could not stop.

"Hi," Callie responded. She reached over and took his hand, leaning over to kiss him gently on the lips.

"How're you feeling?"

Shrugging, he winked at her. "Well, I have the deep, sexy voice you've always wanted for me," he joked, coughing.

Callie shook her head. "You're something else."

"That's what they say."

"Yeah."

The silence was awkward. Still, Frank squeezed Callie's hand, not wanting to push her away. It felt so right to have her near him again.

Callie stared down at their hands now clasped together and blinked back tears. Now was NOT the time for crying. She'd done plenty of that since Frank had been hurt-too much since Cape May. Meeting his eyes, she managed to say, "You know, Frank, you had me worried there for a bit." Well, that was an understatement, but it was all she could think of at the moment.

"I'm sorry, baby," he rasped, sounding ridiculous.

"You should be," she said, seriously.

"For everything," Frank replied, clinging to her hand harder. Callie went to speak, but Frank held up his other hand to silence her and gave up trying to speak normally. Instead, he lowered his voice. Now, barely audible, Callie had to lean closer to figure out what he was saying.

"I was wrong." The look in his eyes, the great sincerity and sorrow, was evident to Callie as she listened to him. "God, Callie, I was so…wrong. I will live with that guilt the rest of my life. Not only for going after Nash, but for thinking what I did about Joe. About you. I made what could have been the best time of our lives together some of the most miserable months you've had to face. I won't apologize again, because you'll never know how sorry I am. BUT I WILL- and that's what I'll have to be satisfied with." He stopped speaking for a minute, stopping to cough and cringing from the pain.

Callie held onto him, reaching over to rub his back while the fit subsided. When he was finally still, he slowly and cautiously wrapped his free arm around Callie, who leaned back against him, resting her head on his shoulder. They sat that way for several moments before Callie finally broke the silence.

Not knowing what to say, she mustered, "I heard about your little escapade with Joe." Turning to face him, she managed a small smile. "I never knew you were so good at hurtling inanimate objects."

Frank returned the grin. "I'm a master at many things."

"Mmmm….."

Suddenly, Frank got an idea, and decided to tell Callie about Joe and Vanessa. Although it would be a painful subject for them both to think about, he could see no other way to bring up their uncertain status. Over the course of the next ten minutes, between bouts of coughing and silence because his throat was too raw, Frank managed to tell Callie about Joe's desire to marry Vanessa and his dilemma about the ring.

"Isn't that silly?" he ended, knowing that Callie would agree that Vanessa would not need a ring to marry his little brother. Although he meant to end the chronicle on a light note, he found his voice catching as he again posed the irony of the whole situation. Here he was, with the woman whom he wanted and had so badly wanted to marry, discussing his brother's impending engagement over their broken one.

"That's great," Callie whispered, smiling despite the fact that her eyes were filled with tears. "It's about time."

"That's what I said." Suddenly, Frank stopped replying and reached up to Callie's face, wiping back a stray tear that had fallen. "Don't cry," he choked out, fighting his own tears. "There's been too much already."

Nodding, Callie agreed. Without thinking, she nestled further against Frank and let him hold her for a while. She couldn't help but to think back to how badly she had wanted him to hold her, to tell her he loved her, all of those months when she had been carrying their child. She had felt so empty then, so confused and upset, not knowing what was causing Frank's distance. The truth had been more horrible than she had ever thought possible.

It should be okay now, though. Frank was okay. She was healing, slowly. Life was returning to normal, whatever that was. It should have been okay.

But it wasn't. And she knew it.

"What are we going to do?" she asked him, pulling back slowly.

"It's in your hands," Frank whispered. He wanted desperately to beg her to stay with him, to plead forgiveness, to do anything, ANYTHING, to get her back. But he remembered his father's words. _"Try anything you can to save your love, because it's a rare thing._ _But if she needs her freedom, then you give it to her, and help her along the way, because you owe that to her, at the very least."  
_  
And all he could add, knowing his father was right, was, "But I love you." What else really was there to say?

"I love you, too," she replied, touching his cheek. "I always will. You know that."

"I know." Dare he hope?!

"I…I just can't get over it that easy, though," she choked out. "You…hurt my heart," she sobbed quietly, making an involuntary fist over her chest.

"I know," he whispered, realizing almost at once that he had been crying, too, albeit quietly. "I know," he repeated.

"I just can't deal with the consequences of everything that happened right now. It's all too much, you know?" She was taking rapid breaths, trying to control her breathing. Trying, he knew, to be strong. And he loved her for that.

"Okay," he whispered, forcing a shaky smile. He wanted to scream, but his father's calming voice came back to him. He loved her enough to let her go. It was the hardest thought and decision he had ever had to make, even worse than the awful choice between Joe and Callie back in Cape May that had started this whole nightmare. Because then, there almost really hadn't been a choice. Joe would have died if he had picked Callie. It had taken him a long time to accept that fact, and he was finally okay with it. This time, though, there was no option. If he forced this issue with Callie, he would lose her. If he let her go, he would lose her. He lost either way, but at least this time, if he let her go, someone would win. He was willing to do that for her, to let her go and make it less painful for her, if it made her okay. Period.

She knew him so well. Eyes wide in shock, she looked at him. He was letting her off the hook, pre-empting the breakup before she had to do it. He loves me that much, she realized at that moment, and then she knew what she had to say, as her heart filled and suddenly everything became clear.

"Don't ask me to marry you again." Her voice was simple, quiet. She had a small smile on her face, and Frank, heart breaking, knew he had done the right thing. She looked, finally, at peace.

"Okay." He had to ask, though, if she would leave him forever, be completely out of his life. He wasn't sure if it would be easier that way-to end it all, finally and completely, no strings attached-or to see her, free and happy, building a life without him in it. "Callie?"

"Yes?" Her dark eyes met his.

"Is this over? I mean, totally and completely?"

"For now," she answered, honestly.

Fresh tears sprang to his eyes and he nodded.

After a few minutes of looking at each other, Callie jumped up, as an idea came to her. She sat down a moment later, looking at Frank's startled expression. "Frank?"

He looked up.

"I have an idea." She reached into her blouse where she had been wearing a necklace and slowly pulled it out. At once, Frank recognized it. Attached to the bottom of the necklace was her engagement ring, as beautiful as ever. Unhooking the clasp, she let the ring slip out onto her hand. "I don't need this any more."

Frank let out a sorrowful breath. That ring, once so full of promise and excitement, now held only pain for him-for her. "Sell it," he managed, unable to look at it.

"Oh, Frank," she whispered. "I don't want the money. But if there is any good that can come of this-of our broken engagement-" She stopped a moment to wipe back tears, as Frank did the same, "Then we should do it."

"What good could come of this?' he choked.

Gathering what was left of her inner strength, she managed a small smile. "Frank, don't be sad. It's a ring-that's all it is, a symbol. For us, it's useless. But for someone else, I know it could bring the joy that it brought to us-even for a little while," she added sadly. "And there's no one else who loved this ring more…than Vanessa."

Frank looked up, shocked. It was crazy! How could he handle looking at Vanessa wearing their ring? And then, he realized, maybe he could. If Callie could get by with it, and it would make Joe and Vanessa deliriously happy, what the hell? "You'd be okay with that?" he asked her, incredulous.

"I would. Let's give them this as our gift-that last thing from the both of us, together-and make a right out of so many wrongs."

After a few minutes of alternating staring between Callie and the ring, he nodded. "Okay, baby."

"I just couldn't deal with you asking me to be your wife again," she responded, again seeming to feel better. "Remember that."

"I will." The one thing that was saving him from losing control was that Callie actually looked better. And that made him feel better, too. Instinctively, Frank reached over and, touching the back of Callie's neck, reached for her, and she didn't resist. Leaning in, their lips met in a lingering kiss that seemed to say everything their hearts were feeling.

Pulling away, Callie managed a wink through her tears. "Goodbye."

"No."

"What?" she asked.

"See ya later. Remember, never say goodbye." They had said that for years, and it just seemed right now.

"See ya later," she repeated, leaving the ring with Frank and, slowly, walking out the door and closing it behind her. Leaning her head against the outside of the door, she smiled through her tears. The past was over.

"See ya later," she whispered, and, turning, left the past behind.


	32. Chapter 32

_**Note** : As usual, many thanks to those of you who have taken the time to review- each of your responses is very much appreciated! Just a quick note: Callie didn't lie in the initial story. As Frank was sleeping, she didn't want to wake him to tell him about the room break-in. She told Joe immediately what happened, he took her back to the cabin... and the rest is history! Also, while Frank has acted completely out of character, and many people are REALLY mad at him, please keep in mind: he almost lost Joe and was horrified by that, had to make an impossible choice that terribly hurt his relationship, compiled "evidence" that was completely wrong, but arrived at logically (even Joe and Fenton see that), watched his fiancée almost get sexually attacked, lost his child (the drugs did that- not his argument with Callie), is dealing with crippling guilt, and almost died, himself, having poison poured down his throat. And despite it all, he apologized, took responsibility, and was willing to sacrifice his own future happiness for the woman he still adores. So... maybe he does deser_ve a break. ;)

Consequences

Chapter 32

Joe leaned forward slightly and flicked his wrist, kicking the motorcycle into high gear. He heard a muffled squeal of delight from behind him and smiled, enjoying the feel of Vanessa's arms wrapped tightly around his waist, as she pressed herself up against his back. Glancing to his right, he saw the full moon gleaming off the Atlantic Ocean and the dark night sky ablaze with stars, almost as if nature were conspiring with him to ensure this night was absolutely perfect. Climbing higher and higher along the cliffs as they sped down Shore Road, Joe hoped that tonight he could put the past four months behind him and start a new chapter of his life.

Slowing down, Joe leaned to his right, turning into a well-hidden and little known overlook with a breathtaking view of the ocean. He and Vanessa had discovered the oft-ignored turn-off early on in their relationship. Joe smiled thinking of all the times they had come here to celebrate, to talk, to argue…to simply be grateful they had found each other. They hadn't shared their discovery with anyone and it quickly became their own special place marking some of the most important occasions in their lives together. There had been no question in Joe's mind that he would bring Vanessa here tonight, for what would be the most important decision they'd ever make.

Continuing on a few more yards, Joe finally coasted to a stop at their favorite spot. Completely isolated from the road, the grassy clearing near the cliff's edge was hidden from prying eyes by a stand of trees, yet offered a breathtaking view of the Atlantic Ocean. The bright moonlight shimmered on the dark waters of the ocean. The unseen waves that could be heard crashing onto the beach below contrasted with the calm stillness of the deeper water.

Turning off the engine, Joe lowered the kickstand, taking a moment to gaze at the spectacular view that never failed to take his breath away. Reaching up, he unsnapped the chinstrap and removed his helmet, letting it dangle from one of the handlebars. Taking Vanessa's helmet, which had appeared over his shoulder, he placed it on the other handle bar.

Swinging one leg over, Joe dismounted the bike and offered his hand to Vanessa, steadying her while she did the exact same move. Running a hand through his blonde hair, Joe smiled as he watched Vanessa slowly walk to the edge of the cliffs, while absentmindedly shaking out her long ash-blonde hair. It was always the first thing she did when they came here – taking a moment alone to get lost in the beauty of this place. Knowing Vanessa would be caught up in the spectacular view, Joe popped the seat up and pulled out a blanket that had been stored in the compartment underneath it. After spreading the blanket on the ground next to Vanessa, Joe walked up behind her and slipped his arms around her waist. She responded to his touch instantly, leaning back against him, threading her fingers through his.

As Vanessa stared out at the water, Joe stared at her. Although the view from the cliffs was striking, Joe was certain that at that moment his view was infinitely more beautiful than hers.

Vanessa sighed contentedly and leaned against Joe, snuggling deep into his arms. She didn't think life could get any better than this and hoped that one day Frank and Callie could find their way back to it, too.

"Happy?" Joe asked.

"Very happy." Vanessa smiled up at him, tilting her head back invitingly.

"Me too," Joe agreed, kissing her softly.

Pulling away, Joe felt his pulse quicken. Even though he was absolutely certain of what he was about to do, he was still nervous. Turning in his arms, Vanessa initiated a lengthy kiss of her own, causing Joe's heart to race even faster.

Reluctantly breaking apart, Vanessa rested her head on Joe's shoulder. She would have been content to stay right there in Joe's arms for the rest of the night. Their time alone together had been almost nonexistent lately. As much as she wanted to shut out the world and it's problems, she knew Joe had brought her here for a reason tonight and she thought it might have something to do with Frank. Although he was recovering nicely, Joe was still worried about him and often turned to Vanessa to voice those concerns.

After his release from the hospital the previous week, Frank had returned to his parents house, at Laura's insistence, to recuperate, rather than going back to his apartment at school. Since he had not been cleared to return to classes yet, Laura saw no reason for him to return to his apartment alone. As a result, Joe had taken to sleeping in his bedroom at home, rather than his dorm room.

Frank was getting better but still needed help from time to time. Knowing Frank wouldn't necessarily ask for help, Joe wanted to be close by so he could keep an eye on Frank, offering assistance before Frank was forced to ask for it. Joe was spending most of his time outside of classes with Frank, leaving little time for he and Vanessa. However, she was completely supportive of Joe, understanding that in addition to the physical injuries Frank had sustained, he was also dealing with deep emotional and psychological wounds as well. She could see for herself the time the brothers spent together was going a long way towards healing the tears in their relationship and only hoped that eventually Frank and Callie could do the same thing.

"So what's on your mind?" Vanessa asked, finally lifting her head and looking at Joe.

"I'm that obvious, huh?" Joe laughed nervously.

"No. I just know you very well."

"Yes, you do," Joe agreed. "And there is something I want to talk to you about." Stepping back slightly, he took Vanessa's hands in his, gathering his thoughts – and his nerve.

"Everything that's happened the past few months has really made me stop and think. Last summer, when I was recovering you were there for me every day. You should have been out with your friends, having fun, but you gave it all up to help me," Joe said, recalling what had to be the worst summer of his life.

"I was exactly where I wanted to be," Vanessa assured him.

"I know I told you every day not to waste your summer vacation stuck inside with me, but I'm glad you didn't listen. Just having you there made it all a little easier. Not just my physical recovery, but everything. Especially Frank's schizophrenic personality changes." Joe shook his head. He and Frank were close once again, but the painful memories would be with him for a long time to come.

"I love you, Joe. I would never let you go through that alone."

"I love you, too Baby," Joe replied, stealing a kiss, before continuing. "When we went back to the Pine Barrens and I thought you died…" Joe stopped, almost choking on the word. "That was the worst moment of my life. I couldn't imagine living for one second without you, let alone my whole life. More than anything, it made me see how quickly everything can change. Things that we should cherish, we take for granted, assuming they'll always be there. We think we have all the time in the world. We can put everything off until later, when it's more convenient. I don't want to do that anymore, Van. Because sometimes later is too late." Out of the blue, Joe thought of Frank and how he had waited months and months to finally confront him and Callie. He wondered if Frank and Callie would still be together had Frank dealt with his misguided suspicions sooner rather than later.

"Are you talking in generalities or about something specific?" Vanessa asked, slightly concerned that Joe had suddenly become so serious.

"Not some _thing_ – some _one_. You," Joe replied, softly. "You saved my life, Vanessa. And I'm not talking about Nash. You saved me from me. When we met I wasn't living, I was existing. And most of the time I was existing on the edge." Joe flashed back to the months after Iola Morton had died. He'd become wild and reckless, with little, if any, regard for his own personal safety. It took some time, but falling in love with Vanessa had reigned in the almost burning need Joe felt to continuously put himself in danger.

"There were so many times you could have given up on me and walked out, but you never did. You stuck by me no matter what. You've always believed in me and supported me, even when you didn't always agree with me. And you've always, _always_ loved me."

"Always," Vanessa agreed, having trouble getting the word out over the lump in her throat.

"And I've always taken it for granted. I've taken you for granted and I won't do that anymore." Joe took Vanessa's hands in both of his and held them tightly, in part to keep his own hands from shaking. "I love you, Vanessa. Right now I can't give you anything to symbolize that other than my heart, so I hope that's enough."

Never letting go of Vanessa's hands, Joe dropped down onto one knee. Looking up into her eyes, which were now brimming with tears, Joe was never more sure of anything in his life. "You're my best friend, my lover, my soulmate. And I'd like you to be my wife. Vanessa, will you marry me?"

For one brief second, Vanessa felt as if the world had stopped. She had known long ago that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with Joe. While she thought he had come to the same conclusion, she also thought it would take him a very long time to act on that revelation. Assuming he wouldn't want to make this commitment for several more years, his unexpected proposal caught her completely off guard, but she recovered rather quickly.

"Yes." She looked down at Joe, smiling despite the tears that were rolling down her cheeks. "Yes! Yes! **YES**! I will marry you!" she cried out, happily. Turning back to look out over the cliffs, Vanessa announced her decision yet again.. "Do you hear that, Bayport?!" She yelled out over the sounds of the crashing waves. "Joe Hardy asked me to marry him and I said **YES**! _**YES**_!"

Laughing with both amusement and relief, Joe pulled Vanessa back to him. "Uh, would that be a _yes_?" he asked mischievously.

"I don't know, let me think about it," Vanessa replied teasingly before Joe silenced her with a kiss.

Separating only slightly, Joe's smile dropped a little. "There's just one little problem I ran into."

"What problem?" Vanessa asked confused.

"I…I don't have a ring for you. God knows you deserve one – the biggest diamond ever made. But I couldn't even afford a rhinestone right now. I'm sorry," Joe apologized, glad that the darkness hid his embarrassed flush.

Vanessa reached out and stroked his cheek, touched by his confession. "I don't need a ring, Joe. All I need is you," she replied softly.

' _Same thing Frank said!'_ Joe chuckled to himself. "But you deserve one. And I'll get you one, I promise! It's just that with the new car, tuition, student loans when we graduate next year..." Joe sighed, dejectedly. "I just don't know when that will be."

"It doesn't matter. You just gave me your heart – forever. No ring in the world can top that."

As Vanessa spoke, Joe stared deeply into her eyes. Lifting her left hand, Joe slowly brought it to his lips and softly kissed her ring finger, never breaking the intense gaze they shared. Pulling Vanessa closer, Joe kissed her with an intensity he'd never felt before. Losing themselves in the passion inspired by their newfound commitment, they slid down onto the blanket, still wrapped in each others' arms.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Vanessa handed Joe the neatly folded blanket and watched as he returned it to the small storage compartment. Sidling up behind him, she wrapped her arms around him and leaned her cheek against his back.

"So who should we tell first?" she asked, grinning happily.

"I think you already told the whole town," Joe reminded her with a laugh.

"Just in case my announcement was drowned out by the waves," she laughed, "who gets to be the first to hear the good news?"

Joe hesitated, knowing they should probably tell Andrea first, then Fenton and Laura. Twisting around to face his fiancée, Joe tried to gauge what her reaction might be to his answer. From anyone else, it might seem a bizarre request, causing Joe to wonder if he should really voice it. As he battled with himself, Vanessa made the decision for him.

"How about Frank?" she suggested, knowing Joe would want his older brother to be the first to know.

Joe shook his head with a smile, reminded of exactly why he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Vanessa. "You read my mind."

Retrieving the helmets, the newly engaged couple climbed on the motorcycle.

"Hang on," Joe called out over his shoulder, immediately hitting the gas and popping a wheelie. Amid peals of laughter from Vanessa, the newly-engaged young couple roared off to share the exciting news with their families.


	33. Chapter 33

**Note** : _Well, this is it! Thank you so much to everyone who has read, followed, and, especially, left reviews on this story. Each and every time you left feedback it was very much appreciated. Thanks to Annabelle Poe, max 2013, EvergreenDreamweaver, Paulina Ann, and BMSH for your reviews on the last chapter, and to everyone who has taken the time to leave a review throughout both stories. We wrote "Choices of the Heart" and "Consequences" way back in 2002- it's hard to believe- and it's been a lot of fun posting the stories here. In a month or so, we'll post a Thanksgiving story (10 chapters) and a Christmas one (5 chapters) that we wrote in the fall of 2016, and we are currently working on another long story (perhaps more) which we hope to get up and published by the year's end. Thanks so much for all of your support; we hope you enjoyed this little story series and will enjoy future ones! :) - Cheryl & Red_

Consequences

Chapter 33

Callie Shaw sat staring out the window of her parents' home. Even now, after being here for more than a week, it still seemed strange to her. The place that she had once loved so dearly growing up was just that—a place. Home, however, had come to take on a very different meaning. Home for her was with Frank, whatever and wherever that place would be.

"But it isn't like that anymore," she said softly to herself as she gazed out the dining room window. What HAD happened anyway? She found herself pondering that question for the millionth time. "I love him. That should count for something, right? It should count for everything!" She stood suddenly, but sat down quickly again when she realized that life was full of those types of questions—the should haves, the what ifs—and she had yet to find the answer to those questions which so very many had sought to answer.

Still, Callie took a long, slow sip of her tea and let her mind wander. Less than a year ago—twelve short months—her life had been so different. She had been overwhelmed with joy when the man whom she had always loved had asked her to marry him. And, although it had been unexpected, it had been the greatest moment of her life. Just as unexpectedly, she had conceived their child, one who had held such promise, such dreams. Her life had been a mirror reflecting all that was good in her life.

Yet her life, like that mirror, had shattered. Cape May, the nightmares, watching Frank fall apart and Joe suffer—it had been the worst time of her life. And, just when she had really begun to believe that things truly couldn't get any worse, they did. She had become gravely ill, Frank had almost died, Vanessa, apparently, almost lost her life as well. And then there were those accusations by Frank, those horrible, stinging words. Simply conjuring them caused unspeakable memories to surface. Memories which kept replaying themselves no matter how hard she tried to forget them.

"But I love him," she whispered out loud again, as if trying to convince herself that that old saying, amor vincit omnia, "love conquers all", really could come true. She continued to talk to herself, allowing the cadence of her voice to try and calm her thoughts, to try and make her heart beat with some sort of normalcy again without that ever-present aching in her soul.

"Well, Cal," she continued, "What do you want? I mean, really—what? Can you live without Frank Hardy, knowing how you feel? OR, can you live with him, knowing what he did? I don't know." She paused a moment. "I really don't know."

"On the other hand, he sacrificed for you—he gave you up just because he knew you would be happy. You saw how deeply that hurt him, how he wanted to cry for you but wouldn't so that you wouldn't cry." Pausing, the phrase came to her, the old cliché that never had held truer, and which she had never fully understood, until this very moment. "Oh, God." She covered her mouth momentarily before beginning again. "If you love something that much, you let it go. And if it comes back to you, it was meant to be. Yes," she nodded, tears welling in her eyes. "Yes."

At once, it hit her- the weight descended upon her like a lead fist for a moment, and then, equally as fast, it rose. She felt lighter than she she could remember feeling in a long, long time. "But… but I told him not to ask me to marry him again!" she said to herself, laughing through her tears.

Hands on her hips, her newfound resolution and rebirth firmly on her mind, Callie crossed her arms and then laughed out loud as she wiped back the tears. "Well, then," she went on, " I guess I'm just going to have to ask _him_."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Frank Hardy sat sullenly in the living room, pondering the irony of his life. He wasn't really LIVING, he knew that. But he also knew that he could no longer wallow in the past. He had made the worst mistakes of his life this year. He had hurt himself, his family, and the woman he loved, and damaged those relationships, he had thought, beyond repair. But still, despite it all, his parents had forgiven him. Joe had forgiven him. Vanessa had given him a lot to think about, and had literally knocked some sense into him!

And Callie—although his heart ached without her in his life, and he really didn't know if he could love again, he DID know that he could at least be okay- because she would be okay. And "okay" was a pretty good place to be in. It sure beat hell, where he had spent a considerable amount of the last year. He decided, there and then, that he couldn't waste another second of his life. Time was the one precious thing life had generously offered to all of them, and it seemed somehow wrong to take it for granted.

Still, there was Callie…

A brief flicker of hope leapt to his heart like a nimble flame, and then died down. BUT—he knew that feeling. It was the birth of a new idea, not yet ready to be brought to life, but making itself known. Before he had time to ponder it, though, the front door burst open, practically making him jump out of his chair. It was Joe and Vanessa.

They were both talking at once.

"Frank…"

"We…"

"And it was so romantic! I can't believe it!"

"Sunset…. Motorcycle… new start…"

They were rambling on, finishing each other's sentences and starting new ones before the old ones could come through. And, although he had no idea what they were saying, one thing was clear—they both looked deliriously happy. Caught up in their enthusiasm, Frank couldn't help but to smile. Holding up his hand, he finally caught their attention long enough make them stop talking for a moment.

"Stop!" he finally managed to get out. Laughing, he went on. "Whatever it is, one of you better talk, or I'll need a translator!"

When Frank paused, he didn't miss the subtle exchange between Joe and Vanessa. Their eyes had met, and they had both become much more subdued, as if they had forgotten something that they shouldn't have. Joe bit his lip and Vanessa shyly let her eyes gaze on the floor.

"Alright, you two. What's up? You might as well spill it before you make me wait and eventually give in anyhow."

"I'll go," Vanessa said quietly, indicating Joe should speak to his brother alone, but Frank caught her arm. "Nope," he said simply. "Whatever you two came to tell me you do it together. It only seems right."

Vanessa looked at Joe. Joe looked at Frank. Frank looked at both of them as if they were crazy. Then, it came to him. Without even realizing that he could very well be wrong, Frank spilled out, "No way! You did it, bro?! That's so awesome! Congratulations!"

He then proceeded to envelop first Joe, and then Vanessa, in huge bear hugs, leaving them dumbstruck.

When he noticed their silence, Frank immediately realized what he had just done. Had he just given away Joe's secret?! Face turning crimson, he stuttered, "That is… I mean… I guess… Oh, man. I'm sorry."

At his brother's discomfort, Joe started smiling. "Nah—you're right. Vanessa and I just got engaged. Thanks for keeping that quiet, though, bro. I knew I could count on you," he ended, dryly.

Returning the smile, Frank let out a small chuckle. "Oops."

Joe went to Vanessa and wrapped an arm around her, holding her close. He was unsure of what to say to Frank, sensitive of his current predicament. Frank sensed that immediately and put a hand on his brother's shoulder. "I really am happy for you. For BOTH of you," he added, turning to Vanessa. "Although I wonder why you'd want to marry into this family, especially with that knucklehead," Frank added playfully. Then, more seriously, he continued, "It's about time. You two deserve some happiness, and I couldn't be more thrilled for you. Congratulations. I love you both."

Beaming, Joe felt happier than he had in ages. Releasing Vanessa for a moment, he returned the hug. "I love you, too," he said softly to Frank. "Remember that."

Stepping back, Joe took a deep breath before allowing himself to continue. Finally, he said what had been bothering him the whole time. "We just—you know—we wanted to tell you first, but because of Callie and everything…" He stumbled over his words, "Well, I guess I didn't know how you'd react."

At the mention of Callie's name, a pained expression crossed Frank's face. Still, he remembered something at that very moment as he felt the flicker of the idea come to him again, trying to burst its way through. Taking a quick glance at Vanessa's hand, and remembering what he had spoken about with Joe, he said, simply, "Stay right here. I'll be right back," before disappearing up the stairs.

When he left, Vanessa turned to Joe. "That went pretty well," she said softly, her pretty face still glowing from all of the excitement of the past few hours. "Of course, Frank's still acting a little weird."

Joe laughed, and leaned over to kiss Vanessa on the cheek. "Yup- so you might say everything's getting back to normal!" he quipped.

"Be nice!" Vanessa laughed, caught up in happiness. Before they could continue their banter, however, Frank reappeared, hands clenched. "Sit on the couch," he said to them, indicating the sofa next to them. Puzzled, they looked at each other before sitting down. Frank took a seat across from them.

Deciding not to pull punches, he sighed and then smiled sadly. "I told Callie that you guys might be getting engaged. When we were in the hospital. We were still talking then."

"Oh," Joe said awkwardly.

"And," Frank continued, "I also told her that you wanted to wait until you were able to afford a ring for Vanessa. She agreed with me that Vanessa would say yes anyway. I'm glad we were right."

Joe blushed. "I will get her a ring," he said, more defensively than he intended.

Frank smiled. "That's not where I'm going with this. Calm down. And before you say anything, no—I don't mind talking about Callie, so don't interrupt."

"Okay," Vanessa agreed, interested.

"Callie and I were talking, and we realized that, if it should happen that you two got engaged, there was a good possibility that we wouldn't be together. All these years we had always given you guys gifts together, so we decided that we had something really special that we wanted to give you—together. It's no longer any good for us, but for you—well, I hope it brings the promise and joy that it once brought us." With that, he extended his hand to reveal the engagement ring he had once given Callie. "Please accept this."

Vanessa gasped, and Joe stood up. "No way! Frank, we can't take that! I... I mean, that's YOURS."

"It was," Frank gently corrected him.

"I… it's just so sweet, " Vanessa smiled, wiping back a tear. "But really- Joe's right. We can't take that."

Seeing Vanessa and Joe's reaction warmed Frank's heart. He also felt it again, that idea- and he gasped when he realized what it was.

"What is it?" Vanessa and Joe asked together.

Frank shook his head, and knew what to do. Why hadn't he seen it earlier?! "I just promised myself that I wouldn't waste any more time in my life," he said, excitedly. "That if I really want something bad enough, I should go for it. Well, seeing you two so happy just reminded me that I want Callie—and I'll be damned if I'm going to wait another second getting her!"

Vanessa stood up next to the brothers, shocked. "That's - great," she said, sincerely. "But how exactly do you plan to get her back?"

"It IS a great idea," Joe said, gently. "But Frank—you promised her that you wouldn't ask her to marry you again. You have to keep your word."

"I will," Frank replied, slyly.

"What are you thinking?" Vanessa asked.

Looking at his very valuable old engagement ring, he knew what to do. "Come," he said, heading for the door, "and all will be revealed on the way."

Looking at each other in amazement, Joe and Vanessa clasped hands before hurriedly following Frank to his car.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Several hours later, Callie heard a knock on her door. "Great," she said softly to herself. She still hadn't figured out what to say to Frank or when to say it, but she certainly didn't want to be interrupted as she thought of her plan. When she opened the door, she drew in a sharp breath. Frank was staring at her. Behind him were Joe and Vanessa, conspicuously grinning. Totally caught off guard, Callie just stared.

"May I come in?" Frank asked politely.

"Oh—yeah, sure," she responded, ushering all three into her home. Her heart was hammering in her chest. To be confronted with Frank so soon was almost too overwhelming. Shakily, she invited them all into her living room. They went in.

"Callie," Frank said, point blank, "I have some unfinished business with you."

Callie felt her face go red as she stammered out a response. "Uh, ah—okay. Now? Here?" She glanced at Joe and Vanessa who stood, immobile.

"Yup," Frank replied, matter-of-factly. Despite the fact that he was nervous as anything, as he knew what was riding on the moment, he had to maintain a façade of confidence or this wouldn't work.

"Oh—okay," Callie replied, stunned.

"Vanessa and I just got engaged," Joe chimed in, winking at Vanessa.

"R—really?" Callie was stuttering, caught between looking at Frank and figuring out his intentions and trying to figure out why Van and Joe were there. This was all happening so quickly. "Well...great!" Callie replied. "That's really great. Congrat-"

She was cut off by Frank. "And that got me to thinking," he interrupted. "That we really should be engaged, too."

"Wh... what?" Callie backed up against the couch, eyes filling with tears. Was this really happening?

Frank got down on one knee beside the couch and took her hand. "I realized, Callie, that the consequences of what we DON'T do in our lives can be worse than the consequences of the actions that we DO take." He paused, and looked at her, beginning to lose some of the control he had tried to so hard to fake. "I love you. And I always will. So I won't ask you marry me—I promised you I wouldn't. I'm TELLING you to marry me. Or…" At a loss for words, Frank finally sputtered, "Or I'll stalk you for life!"

The statement was so outrageous that Joe and Vanessa burst out laughing despite the seriousness of it all.

Finally, Callie laughed, too, as tears spilled from her eyes. "Okay," she managed, voice shaking.

Shocked, Frank almost couldn't believe it. "What?"

"I said okay. I certainly don't need a stalker, and the alternative looks pretty good."

Slowly, a smile crept up Frank's face and, soon, he was beaming ear to ear. "Really?!" he asked, incredulous.

Callie nodded. Frank went to her and lifted her into his arms, holding her more tightly than he had ever thought possible. "I love you so much," he whispered in her ear. "I don't know why, or how, or… what… brought us here, but thank you so much for this chance, sweetheart. I'll never let you down again."

Callie buried her face in his chest, clinging to him in disbelief. "I love you, too, baby," she whispered back, unable to find anything more to say. It was enough. It was more than enough, and, she realized, literally the only thing that mattered in life. Love- what more need there be?

All four of them were laughing and crying at the same time.

Somehow, life had turned around for them, and the promise of a new day was possible.

After several minutes had passed, and everyone had calmed down some, Frank sat next to Callie on the floor, holding her tightly. Kissing her on the head, he heard Joe say, "AHEM! Don't you have something, Frank?"

Caught in his reverie, Frank had almost forgotten! "Oh, yeah," he said, and, reaching into his pocket, he took out a box and opened it, presenting a beautiful but simple diamond ring to Callie. "Every girl needs a diamond ring!"

Callie gasped. A new ring… a new life. How beautiful… and unexpected.

"But—how did you afford...?" she was cut off again.

"Because," Joe interjected, arm around Vanessa. "Frank had gotten you a pretty big rock last time. We appreciated the offer to give it to us, but we couldn't do that. Although," he added, "we were so touched by it." Continuing on, he smiled. "We were able to go to a local jeweler around here and trade in the ring. For the price of that one, we were able to get two smaller ones—one for you and one for Vanessa. Now we can all start over - together."

As they all exchanged hugs, Callie excused herself for a few minutes and, when she returned, she held out four champagne glasses. Pouring the drinks, she asked, "What shall we toast to? There's so much I'm grateful for!" she looked at Frank, who beamed down at her with such love she was overwhelmed.

"To a new beginning," Joe suggested.

"To forgiveness," Vanessa said quietly.

They raised their glasses.

"To the choices of the heart—may love always guide the way," Callie chimed in.

"And to their consequences—may good fortune follow good intentions- and love," Frank answered.

"To love," they chimed in together, laughing.

Together, arms around each other, the four chimed in, "Cheers!" and drank to a new start…for all of them.


End file.
